Tinubu’s Bold Oil Reforms Paying Off, Scholar Says Nigerians Now See Results, Not Promises
A respected energy governance scholar, Prof. Josiah Danladi, has commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as a “bold and transformative recalibration” of Nigeria’s oil and gas upstream sector.
Speaking at the Citizens Connect Conference in Lagos, the university don said the President’s leadership has revived public confidence through reforms built on transparency, accountability, and data-driven governance.
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“For decades, the oil and gas sector symbolised both our promise and our pain,” Danladi said. “But today, a new story is unfolding — one of reform, renewal, and restoration.”
A sector reborn under PIA and NUPRC leadership
According to Prof. Danladi, the rebirth of Nigeria’s oil sector is being steered by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), led by Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, under the framework of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
“In just two years, NUPRC has generated over ₦12.25 trillion in revenue for the federation — an unprecedented achievement,” he revealed. “This shows what happens when political will meets professional excellence.”
Danladi credited the reforms for ending years of inefficiency and discretionary approvals that plagued the sector. “Production reporting is now electronic, oil blocks once dormant are producing again, and compliance is strictly monitored,” he said.
Subsidy removal fuelling national development
The scholar highlighted the fuel subsidy removal as a pivotal decision that freed up resources for development.
“The policy has led to a 200 per cent increase in allocations to states and local governments,” he noted, “and these funds are being invested in road projects, hospitals, student loan schemes, and NYSC allowance increases.”
Danladi also pointed to Nigeria’s gradual transition from a net importer to a potential net exporter of refined petroleum products, saying the reforms are reshaping the economy in measurable ways.
Gas as the future of Nigeria’s energy transition
He praised NUPRC’s focus on gas as the nation’s “transition fuel”, noting the success of the Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme, which converts waste into wealth.
“Investors are turning environmental liabilities into economic opportunities,” he said. “We’re reducing waste, protecting the planet, and creating jobs.”
Host communities now benefit directly
Prof. Danladi lauded the operationalisation of the Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs) under the PIA, describing them as the bridge between “promise and delivery.”
He disclosed that over ₦358 billion has been remitted to these trusts, funding more than 500 projects in education, healthcare, roads, and youth empowerment.
“For the first time, host communities are partners, not afterthoughts,” he said. “Those who bear the burden of resource extraction now share in its benefits.”
Transparency restores investor confidence
Danladi said transparency and accountability have become the new hallmarks of the NUPRC. The Commission’s electronic monitoring platforms, he explained, now enable real-time tracking of crude production and export volumes — closing loopholes that once bled national revenue.
“International rating agencies now describe Nigeria’s oil framework as more predictable and investor-friendly than at any point in the last decade,” he added.
Protecting the gains
The energy scholar cautioned that the progress made in the past two years must be safeguarded through continuity and discipline.
“Every reform is a journey, not an event,” Danladi said. “The focus must not shift from reform to rhetoric. Nigeria cannot afford to go backwards.”
He concluded that Nigerians are now “increasingly satisfied” with NUPRC’s performance, describing it as one of the most efficient and future-driven institutions in the Tinubu administration.
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“This is what President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope truly means — hope that builds hospitals, powers schools, and transforms communities,” he said.
NUPRC honoured for transparency
Legit.ng earlier that Public Space Tracker, a West African organisation, has recognised the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) as the most transparent and outstanding government agency in Nigeria.
The Public Space Tracker praised NUPRC for its "remarkable openness, policy innovation, and integrity" in managing Nigeria's upstream petroleum resources since Komolafe took office.
The Commission is viewed as a model for regulatory agencies in a democracy, proving that transparency in resource governance is a measurable and achievable practice.
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Source: Legit.ng
