CEGA Lauds FG, NUPRC Over 37 Approved Crude Routes, Tackling Oil Theft

As part of an overall plan to reduce oil theft, increase transparency, and boost Nigeria’s oil production, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has received praise from the Centre for Energy Governance and Accountability (CEGA) for obtaining federal government approval of 37 new crude oil evacuation routes.

During the 2025 Nigeria Oil and Gas (NOG) Energy Week in Abuja on Tuesday, NUPRC CEO Gbenga Komolafe announced the new routes and gave an update on sector-wide reforms aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s upstream industry for resilience and global competitiveness.

He said that the commission’s cooperation with security services and the military has also contributed to the defense of vital oil infrastructure.

CEGA commended Komolafe for “converting policy into quantifiable results” in a statement released on Sunday, calling the move “a major milestone” in Nigeria’s decades-long battle with oil theft and revenue losses.

“The authorization of 37 new evacuation routes is a strategic intervention in an industry that loses billions of dollars every year, not merely a bureaucratic tweak. CEGA’s executive director, Dr. Kelvin Sotonye Williams, stated, “This action shows seriousness in sealing leaks and regaining investor confidence.”

Dr. Williams claimed that Komolafe’s leadership at NUPRC had contributed to the stabilization of a regulatory environment that had been beset by opacity and ambiguity prior to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA)’s enactment in 2021.

According to him, the $16 billion in investment promises made during the Tinubu administration in just two years already show the results.

“These commitments are not on paper. “These are genuine inflows propelled by aggressive digitization, regulatory consistency, and clarity of vision,” Williams stated.

The commission’s One Million Barrels Initiative, which intends to increase daily production from the present 1.7 million barrels per day (bpd) to 2.5 million bpd by 2026, was also commended by him. Reviving dormant fields, expediting project approvals, and removing bottlenecks in the upstream licensing regime are all outcomes of the strategy, which was introduced in 2024, according to Komolafe.

In a time when global upstream investment must exceed $640 billion yearly to meet demand projections through 2030, CEGA says that increasing output is the most obvious path to energy security and economic independence.

Komolafe is right to caution that the stability of the world and the region will be threatened if supply is not invested in. According to the executive director of CEGA, Nigeria’s oil reserves are a strategic asset that should be managed to their full potential rather than being underutilized.

He also emphasized that obtaining the social license to operate in volatile oil-producing areas is largely dependent on the commission’s HostComply initiative, which guarantees real-time compliance with host community requirements under the PIA.

“Rhetoric cannot sustain peace. Trust-building in the Niger Delta depends on the HostComply platform’s ability to make social responsibilities quantifiable and verifiable, according to Dr. Williams.

“NUPRC’s incorporation of environmental accountability into its upstream policies, including support for Nigeria’s 2060 net-zero target, was especially encouraging to CEGA,” he added.

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Giving up on gas and oil is not a requirement of the shift to clean energy. It entails reinvesting in long-term energy security as well as generating in a cleaner, more responsible manner. This balance is reflected in the commission’s reforms,” he stated.

All parties involved, including commercial and state-owned operators, were urged by CEGA to support the commission’s purpose and pledge to conduct business in an ethical and climate-conscious manner.

It is evident that the NUPRC is not happy with the current situation under Komolafe’s leadership. They are striving for transformation, not just survival,” Williams stated.

By protecting the regulatory area from political meddling and making sure that executive orders—like those pertaining to local content and cost-efficiency—are consistently implemented, the group urged the federal government to continue supporting the reforms.

CEGA said, “The Nigerian upstream sector will not only recover, but it will lead Africa’s next wave of responsible fossil fuel development as long as this reform momentum is sustained.”