The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has begun discussions with the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) to harmonise regulatory processes in the oil and gas industry, a move aimed at strengthening radiological safety and reducing compliance costs for operators.
The initiative followed a meeting between NUPRC Commission Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, and NNRA Director-General, Yau Idris, in Abuja. According to the NUPRC, the collaboration will address overlapping regulatory requirements, close existing oversight gaps and create a more efficient compliance framework for industry players.
Eyesan said multiple regulatory requirements often increase operating costs because each regulation comes with separate fees and obligations. She stressed that reducing operational costs is essential to attracting and safeguarding investments in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
As part of the partnership, both agencies will work towards a coordinated approach that eliminates duplication and improves information sharing. Senior officials from both organisations have been nominated to identify key areas of collaboration and strengthen regulatory efficiency.
Idris noted that the upstream petroleum sector is one of the largest users of radioactive materials and radiation-emitting equipment in Nigeria, particularly in activities such as well logging, industrial radiography and nucleonic gauging. He said the partnership would help simplify compliance for operators through a “single-window” approach that reduces repeated submissions of the same information.
The NNRA also wants closer collaboration on managing Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM), which are often brought to the surface during oil and gas production. Under the proposed arrangement, radiological impact assessments would form part of broader environmental assessments, while NORM management procedures would be integrated into NUPRC environmental guidelines.
The two agencies also agreed to collaborate on training, capacity building and knowledge sharing on radiation protection and safe operational practices. The move comes as the Federal Government seeks to improve the investment climate in the petroleum sector, boost production and enhance operational efficiency under the Petroleum Industry Act framework.
