The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission has said rising investment in offshore oil and gas must translate into jobs, technology transfer, stronger local suppliers, and broader industrial capacity for Nigeria.
Commission Chief Executive Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan made the case at Lagos International Maritime Week 2026, where she was represented by Executive Commissioner for Health, Safety, Environment and Community John Tonlagha.
Eyesan said offshore petroleum development should not be judged solely by investment volumes or crude production.
She argued that Nigeria needed a wider ecosystem covering maritime services, infrastructure, engineering, fabrication, logistics, certification and technical skills.
The Commission called for increased investment in ports, ship-repair facilities, fabrication yards, logistics bases, storage systems, waste-management facilities and coastal transport infrastructure.
Eyesan also advocated stronger Nigerian participation in vessel ownership and operations, marine logistics, subsea engineering, equipment maintenance, inspection, environmental services and marine surveying.
She said investment would only create lasting national value if it was deliberately connected to domestic capability, competitive suppliers, workforce development and measurable performance.
The NUPRC chief also stressed that expansion of offshore petroleum activities must not undermine the marine environment.
She said the blue economy could not be sustainable if environmental protection was treated as an afterthought.
Eyesan cited the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 as part of the regulatory framework supporting offshore development, including provisions relating to decommissioning and abandonment.
According to her, the long-term objective should include stronger energy security, increased Nigerian participation, improved marine protection and the emergence of Nigeria as a competitive offshore-energy and maritime-services hub for Africa.
The Commission’s position reflects a broader policy push to ensure that new offshore projects generate more domestic economic activity instead of functioning primarily as extractive investments.
