According to the requirements of the newly approved Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the Nigerian Senate confirmed the nomination of board members of the Nigerian Upstream Regulatory Commission (NURC), resulting in the elimination of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

The confirmed heads of the new Commission are Isa Modibbo as the Chairman, Gbenga Komolafe as the Chief Executive, Hassan Gambo as the Executive Commissioner, Finance and Accounts, and Rose Ndong as the Executive Commissioner, Exploration and Acreage Management.

Senator Albert Akpan, Chairman of the Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), stated in his presentation that the nominees demonstrated sufficient knowledge of the petroleum industry’s workings, particularly in the upstream sector, as well as the economics of petroleum exploration and production.

He added that the appointments satisfy the requirements of Sections 11 and 18 (1-5) of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, and the committee was satisfied with the qualifications, experience, suitability, competence and integrity of the nominees.

He said: “There are no adverse reports against the nominees as record checks and other forms of investigations by security agencies did not reveal any negative trace against them.”

Commenting, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, said the establishment of the NURC would provide a foundation for the stabilisation of the petroleum industry in Nigeria, and he confirmed the scrapping of DPR as the new commission will take over its responsibilities.

He said: “The Regulatory Commission has the enormous and huge responsibility of setting and establishing the Commission as provided in the Petroleum Industry Act.”

“They have the unenviable responsibility of ensuring that they commit themselves and work hard to provide the solid and stable foundation for that matter, that they don’t waste any time because time is of essence.”

“The implication of the approval of board members for the commission is that the Department of Petroleum Resources has ceased to exist.”

“The Petroleum Industry will go through a reform process and the process has already started.”

“This Commission is one of the huge arms of those reforms that will stabilize the petroleum industry in Nigeria.”

“While the Senate confirms them, we expect nothing less than commitment and patriotism on their side.”

“The Senate wishes them the best and a very fruitful tenure as they take their offices.”

“We expect that the other regulatory authority for downstream and midstream will also be confirmed as soon as possible, so they also start their work immediately.”