GETI Hails Komolafe as NUPRC’s $10bn Licensing Round Sets Global Standard
The Global Energy Transparency Initiative (GETI), a United Kingdom–based watchdog, has applauded the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and its Chief Executive, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, for instituting world-class transparency and investor-focused reforms in the rollout of the 2025 Oil and Gas Licensing Round.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its Executive Director, Dr. Jonathan Whitfield, GETI described the newly launched Licensing Round Portal as a “landmark advancement” that firmly aligns Nigeria’s upstream regulatory framework with international best practices.
The commendation follows NUPRC’s announcement on Monday that the online portal — br2025.nuprc.gov.ng is fully operational. The round features 50 oil and gas blocks spanning onshore, shallow water, frontier basins, and deepwater terrains. The Commission projects the exercise will attract over $10 billion in fresh investments and add two billion barrels to Nigeria’s hydrocarbon reserves in the next decade.
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GETI praised the end-to-end digitalisation of the licensing process, noting that the portal’s comprehensive public disclosures p including bidding schedules, technical requirements, and the detailed classification of blocks (15 onshore, 19 shallow water, 15 frontier, and one deepwater) — represent “the most ambitious transparency framework by any African upstream regulator in recent years.”
“Under Engr. Komolafe’s leadership, Nigeria has proven that clarity, accountability, and investor confidence are inseparable,” Dr. Whitfield said.
“From prequalification to bid submission, evaluation, and final award, every stage is now open, structured, and free from the opacity that once discouraged credible global investors.”
The watchdog also highlighted the round’s potential to unlock as much as 400,000 barrels per day in new production capacity, boost gas utilisation, and enhance job creation, describing it as a “holistic and future-facing approach to energy governance.”
GETI urged the Commission to sustain these reforms through consistent implementation—particularly the publication of contracts, fiscal terms, and beneficial ownership data—to ensure transparency beyond the bidding phase.
“The message is clear: strong governance is a competitive advantage. Nigeria is showing the world that regulatory credibility and investment growth can progress hand in hand,” Whitfield added.
GETI’s endorsement places NUPRC’s 2025 Licensing Round among the most transparent in Africa, reinforcing Nigeria’s push to position its upstream sector as a destination of choice for global capital
