By| Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) have agreed to deepen collaboration to enhance radiation safety in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry while reducing regulatory burdens and operational costs for industry players.
The partnership was announced following a high-level meeting between the Commission Chief Executive of NUPRC, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, and the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NNRA, Dr. Yau Idris, at the NUPRC headquarters.
The collaboration seeks to address regulatory overlaps, improve compliance, and ensure safer handling of radioactive materials and radiation-emitting equipment widely used in upstream petroleum operations.
Speaking during the meeting, Eyesan emphasized the need to eliminate regulatory gaps and streamline multiple regulations affecting the oil and gas industry, noting that excessive regulatory requirements increase operational expenses and discourage investment.
According to her, reducing the cost of operations remains critical to safeguarding investments in the sector.
“The only way we can safeguard investments is to reduce our cost of operations. When there is a multiplicity of laws, costs tend to rise because each law often comes with its own fees and charges,” she said.
Eyesan disclosed that senior officials from the Commission had been nominated to work closely with the NNRA to advance the collaboration and address identified areas of concern.
“We have identified critical areas on both sides and we believe that as we collaborate, we can close existing gaps,” she added.
On his part, Idris highlighted the importance of cooperation between both agencies, noting that the upstream petroleum industry is one of the largest users of radioactive sources and ionizing radiation equipment in Nigeria, particularly for well logging, industrial radiography and nucleonic gauging.
He explained that the NNRA depends on the support of the NUPRC to effectively discharge its regulatory responsibilities and ensure compliance with radiation safety standards.
“The goal is a single-window approach, where both agencies share information rather than requiring operators to submit the same data twice,” Idris said.
He further revealed that oil and gas exploration activities often bring Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) to the surface, making it necessary for operators to conduct radiological impact assessments as part of their Environmental Impact Assessments.
The NNRA is also seeking the incorporation of NORM management protocols into the NUPRC’s environmental guidelines for upstream petroleum operations.
Both agencies are expected to collaborate on capacity building, training programmes and knowledge-sharing initiatives aimed at promoting radiation protection and safe operational practices across the industry.
Industry stakeholders believe the partnership could significantly improve regulatory efficiency, strengthen safety standards and enhance investor confidence in Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector.
