Eyesan, currently executive vice president for Upstream at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), will take the helm of the NUPRC pending Senate confirmation. She succeeds Gbenga Komolafe, who stepped down after heading the commission since its 2021 establishment under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
“Madam Eyesan’s return is extremely good news for Nigeria’s energy sector,” said Clementine Wallop, director for sub-Saharan Africa at Horizon Engage. “She is a high-calibre executive whose skills will be instrumental in the success of the bid round and the wider changes planned for 2026. She is well-liked across the industry, both local and international. The NUPRC should flourish under her leadership.”
The appointment places Eyesan at the center of Nigeria’s efforts to boost crude oil output to 3 million barrels per day and attract investment to develop reserves estimated at 37.28 billion barrels of oil and 210.54 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The NUPRC regulates technical and commercial aspects of upstream operations in Africa’s largest oil-producing nation, overseeing licensing rounds, field development approvals, and compliance across onshore and deepwater assets.
Eyesan brings 33 years of experience with NNPC and its subsidiaries, beginning her career in 1992 as a material traffic officer after earning an economics degree from the University of Benin. She rose through planning, commercial, and executive roles to lead upstream operations, accumulating extensive knowledge of Nigeria’s petroleum sector, from joint ventures with international majors to the transition toward production-sharing contracts and NNPC’s ongoing commercialisation.
Before assuming her current upstream role, Eyesan served as chief strategist for NNPC, leading corporate strategy development and influencing petroleum policies that have helped shape the regulatory framework she may soon oversee. Observers note that her strategic guidance has inspired billions in upstream investment and played a key role in landmark deals, including Nigeria’s first natural gas liquids commercialisation and the renewal of deepwater production-sharing contracts worth $10 billion.
The NUPRC, established under the 2021 Petroleum Industry Act, replaced the upstream division of the Department of Petroleum Resources and gained broader powers over licensing, technical standards, and fiscal oversight. Under Komolafe, the agency streamlined permitting, enhanced transparency in crude handling, and launched initiatives to add one million barrels per day to national output within two years. Eyesan inherits these initiatives as Nigeria’s production remains around 1.5 million barrels per day, constrained by pipeline vandalism, militant attacks, and underinvestment in aging infrastructure.
A frequent speaker at global energy forums including CERAWeek, ADIPEC, and COP28, Eyesan has championed strategies balancing energy transition with African development priorities. She serves on multiple corporate boards and is an active member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and the Strategic Management Society, advocating policies that integrate sustainability with resource monetisation to attract investment while meeting climate commitments.
Industry experts note that Eyesan will face immediate pressures to accelerate licensing rounds, approve pending field development plans, and implement regulatory reforms to support government production targets. Her leadership will also involve managing relationships with international oil companies increasingly scrutinised for environmental impact, while ensuring Nigeria remains globally competitive in upstream investment.
Her nomination is seen as a strategic move by the Tinubu administration to stabilise Nigeria’s energy sector, restore investor confidence, and position the nation for long-term growth in oil and gas production.