society
CHRISTIAN GENOCIDE AND THE DANGERS OF MISCHARACTERISATION
CHRISTIAN GENOCIDE AND THE DANGERS OF MISCHARACTERISATION
There is no-one in Nigeria that has spoken up for the rights of Christians, spoken out against Christian marginalisation and persecution and warned about the reality and dangers of Islamic fundamentalism and Islamist terror more than yours truly over the last 30 years.
Whether it be the sharia debates, the debate on the secularity of the Nigerian state, the debate on the plight of Christians in Northern Nigeria or the debate on ethnic and religious hegemony and domination, I have been deeply involved and invested in these matters right from the beginning.
In each of these prolonged and often acrimonious and volatile debates I have played a leading role and held my corner.
For those that doubt this the records are clear and I suggest that they go back and read all I have written and said about these vexing issues over the last three decades.
I have also made it perfectly clear over the years that it would be an honour for me to sacrifice all, including my life, in defence of my faith and that will never change. That was my position then and that is my position today.
My knowledge about the experiences of Christians in Nigeria is extensive and my insight and understanding of the history of our country is next to none.
This places me in a unique position and gives me the ability to speak with authority about the ongoing debate on whether or not what we are witnessing in Nigeria today is indeed “Christian genocide”.
In the last three weeks I have written two widely published essays on this matter.
The first is titled ‘The Fiction Of Christian Genocide and the Conspiracy Against Nigeria’ and the second is titled ‘A Warning To Senator Ted Cruz’.
For those that have not read them already I recommend them both in order to get a clearer and deeper perspective on the matter.
This contribution is my third to this increasingly contentious and volatile debate and I sincerely hope that it brings more insight and understanding to the issues under consideration.
Permit me to get to the meat of the matter.
There is no doubt that Christians are being targetted and slaughtered in massive numbers in Nigeria.
No-one can deny that. It is a reality that we as Christians have lived with for many years.
What needs to be understood however is that in the last 15 years as many Muslims have been targetted and slaughtered by the same group of heartless terrorists as well.
To mischaracterise what is going on in our nation as “Christian genocide” is a knee jerk and emotional reaction to a very complex and profound problem.
It is an eloquent testimony to the sordid and divisive disinformation, misinformation and falsehood that those that insist on describing it in such terms have resorted to.
It is a gross, perfidious and unforgivable mischaracterisation of the facts on the ground, a Goebellian misrepresentation of reality and a perverse inversion of the truth.
It is also a specious, simplistic, shallow and flawed perspective which is deeply rooted in ignorance, mischief, malevolence, malice, deceit and intellectual dishonesty, which does not in any way define the very real problems or provide a lasting solution to the monuemental challenges that Nigerian Christians are facing and which is designed to divide us and pave the way for a well-orchestrated and carefully scripted attempt to destabilise our nation, thrust us into a volatile season and cycle of mutual suspicion, sectarian violence and calmuny and set us up for an unconstitutional regime change before or by 2027.
To insist on perpetuating and propagating this mischaracterisation and falsehood is an extreemly dangerous path to tread which, if care is not taken, will ultimately make matters far worse.
For example the frantic public call by Mr. Eric Prince (the notorious founder of the discredited American private security company of murderous and savage western mercenaries that wreaked havoc in Iraq after the American invasion known as Blackwater) to the Vatican, the Pope, prominent Christian leaders from all over the world and President Donald Trump to “fund and support” a private Christian army which he will gladly put together and lead to come to Nigeria to “protect the Christian community and kill Muslims” is not only irresponsible and unhelpful but is also fraught with many dangers.
Again the call by U.S. Congressman Chris Smith to Trump to “arm Christians in Nigeria with American weapons” and to use the American Airforce to “bomb Muslim communities in our country” will lead to a further escalation of violence and open armed conflict between hitherto law- abiding Christians and Muslims who are not only fully integrated but who have also lived peacefully together in harmony over the years. Sending arms to aide one community and U.S. war planes to bomb the other cannot possibly augur well for us.
To send arms to the Nigerian Government to assist in our fight against the terrorists is one thing and would of course be a welcome and laudable initiative and development but to send arms and private mercenary armies from the West to fight for Christians in our country and kill our Muslim brothers or for Christian communites to receive arms directly from the Americans whilst the Muslims are bombed out of existence by western jets is madness and an open invitation to chaos and fratricidal butchery in Nigeria.
It would indeed mark the end of our country as we know it and the beginning of a civil war which will last for the next 50 years and which will have cataclysmic consequences for the Nigerian people, the west African sub region, the African continent and indeed much of the world.
Such insane and provocative rhetoric from the likes of Prince and Smith must cease forthwith. They do not love our country more than we do and we must not allow them to light a fire or ignite a bomb that will consume us all.
Outside of this the mischaracteristion of our situation has an additional three obvious and immediate consequences.
Firstly it negates the idea that Muslims are being targetted by the same terrorists that are killing Christians.
Secondly it belittles and underplays the massive loss of Muslims lives and suggests that those lives count for nothing.
Finally it runs the risk of further dividing our people on religious lines by casting all Muslims as the perpetrators and only Christians as the victims.
This cannot augur well for the unity of our country and for our collective fight against terror.
The American and western leaders that are propagating and spouting it, with the help of the CIA and their local assets, obviously have an insidious hidden agenda and a sinister ulterior motive for doing so.
You do not have to be a bright bulb or a Professor of world history to appreciate that.
All you need to do is to have a little common sense, a good memory, an understanding of the times we are living in and observe what the Americans and their western allies have been doing in the Middle East, North Africa and indeed much of the world ever since 9/11.
The sad reality of Nigeria is not “Christian genocide” but the genocide of BOTH Christians and Muslims by the hands of a handful of savage and barbaric terrorist militias that falsely claim to be Muslims but that do not in actual fact represent any faith.
They represent only satan, their insatiable bloodlust and their sadistic, depraved, delusional, psychotic and psycopathic disposition.
Some of them, like Boko Haram, ISWAP, Al Qaeda and Ansaru operate mainly in the North, murdering and displacing both Christians and Muslims with impunity and no remorse whilst others, like ESN, who claim to be championing the cause of Christians and Jews, operate mainly in the South East again murdering and displacing both Christians and Muslims.
They, like the Haramites and their genocidal partners in crime, do not represent any faith other than that of the devil who has sent them.
Our duty as Christians is to foster national, religious and ethnic unity by closing ranks with our Muslim brothers and fighting our common enemy which these terrorist groups represent.
Anything less than that will only divide us further and take us down the brutal and bloody road to Kigali and, God forbid, a Rwandan-style and horrific showdown and a genocidal storm of cataclysmic carnage.
Our security agencies have worked extreemly hard over the last two years in containing the scourge of terror that has afflicted us.
This is proved by the fact that a record number of terrorists have been killed and many of their most dangerous and wanted commanders and leaders have been captured and detained.
We must commend and encourage them in their endeavours. However much more needs to be done.
We are a nation at war and the Federal Government must do far more by breaking the ranks of the terrorists with an iron fist, ripping out their hearts, killing them in even larger numbers than they are already doing and by effectively, courageously and vigorously countering the American and Zionist-sponsored “Christian genocide in Nigeria” propaganda and disinformation campaign that is spreading like wild-fire throughout the world.
This can best be done not just by continuously issuing press statements and conducting television interviews in our local media but by engaging the services of seasoned and experienced American lobbyists in Washington DC itself and more importantly by giving our very able Foreign Minister, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, the full support that he needs and allow him to take up and lead the initiative fully without hinderance.
He is an exceptionally brilliant and incisive diplomat who is highly experienced, who knows the history of world politics inside out, who was educated in the west from an early age and therefore cannot be intimidated by them, who is a skilled negotiator, who is a diehard patriot that will never betray our national interest and cause and who has nerves of steel.
I know this because I have known him for well over 40 years!
Outside of that our Government must refuse to allow themselves to be hoodwinked by the words of middle-ranking American Governnent officials who are not members of the MAGA inner circle and who do not truly represent the very hardline and extreeme views of the right-wing Christian fundamentalist and anti-Muslim forces that Trump holds dear.
If they really want to know what Trump is thinking but has so far refused to voice about Nigeria it would be wise for our Government to consider the words of Senator Marco Rubio, Senator Ted Cruz, Congressman Riley Moore and Congressman Chris Smith far more than the soothing and encouraging words and expressions of support from “friendly faces” in the Trump administration who have deep ties with and a soft spot for Nigeria but who are not at the heart of the MAGA power configuration like Trump’s Lebanese brother in-law and Special Advisor on African Affairs, Massad Boulos.
American doublespeak and subterfuge is an art and we must never take them for their word or drink from their poisoned chalice.
As the Bible says “their speech is as smooth as butter but war is in their heart”.
A word is enough for the wise.
In an additional step to protect ourselves and secure our future we must also build stronger ties with China and Russia and enter into a defence pact with either one or both.
We should also become a full-fledged member of BRICS and join the rest of the Global South in attempting to regain our self-respect and dignity.
This would be a step in the right direction which will enable us to have a fighting chance to resist the very real threat that America and her Western allies have presented to us.
The die is cast and, as Shakespeare observed in his play titled Julius Caesar, ‘Caesar has crossed to Rubicorn’.
We need the manifestation of strength and courage as we face these complex and formidable challenges to our essence and being and not weakness and cowardice.
Rather than always going on our knees, constantly grovelling, playing the fool and attempting to secure their validation regardless of the gratuitous insults and indignities that they have regularly subjected us to it is time for us to recognise the fact that they have never wished us well and that they have NO intention of allowing us to fulfill our full potentials or achieve our manifest and God-given destiny.
This is the bitter truth that few care to admit.
Permit me to end this contribution with the following questions.
How would the Christians of Nigeria react if the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, the UAE and the OIC described what is going on in Nigeria as “Muslim genocide” and not only downplay but ignore with contempt the fact that Christians are being killed in equal, if not more, numbers?
Would such a mischaracterisation not be regarded as being rooted in ignorance and mischief and would it not be rightly deemed as being inaccurate and unacceptable?
If the answer is ‘yes’ then it would be equally inappropriate to refer to the terrible and collective plight that we, as Christians and Muslims, are jointly facing as “Christian genocide”.
What is good for the goose is surely good for the gander.
We are all victims of the terrorists, both Christian and Muslim, and we must all join our hands and collectively resist them.
That is the way forward.
Anything less will lead to catastrophy for us all and will represent a massive victory for the terrorists and the foreign hegemons that sent them and that seek to divide and destroy us.
On a final note I challenge my readers to consider the following.
When we collectively opposed the genocide in and total destruction and decimation of Gaza over the last two years no-one in the world referred to what was going on there as “Muslim genocide”.
This is because thousands of innocent and defenceless Palestinian Christians were also subjected to genocide, mass murder, ethnic cleansing, displacement and crimes against humanity and had their Churches, homes, farms and hospitals bombed into rubble and burnt to the ground by the Zionist terrorists of the Israeli Defence Force.
In the same vein when we oppose the barbarism and genocide that we are witnessing in Nigeria we must not refer to it as “Christian genocide” because hundreds of thousands of innocent and defenceless Muslims are also being subjected to mass murder, ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity and displacement and have had their homes, farms, Mosques and hospitals bombed into rubble and burnt to the ground by the terrorists of Boko Haram, ISWAP, Al Qaeda and Ansaru.
We cannot make reference to or condemn the genocide that is being unleashed on our Christian population without making reference to and condemning that which is also being unleashed on our Muslims.
What is good for the goose is good for the gander and we must not inflamme people’s passions with reckless and nonsensical rhetoric that seeks to place one set of victims on a higher pedestal and the other on a lower one.
The monuemental challenges that we face when it comes to this matter are grave: we must not make matters worse and allow ourselves to be plunged into an avoidable and unnecessary full scale religious war as a consequence of the reckless and unrestrained expression of uncontrollable and pent up passions, loose talk and an indulgence in extravagant and costly semantics.
The bottom line is as follows.
Do we have a terrorist problem in Nigeria? “Yes!”
Are Christians being killed by the terrorists? “Yes!”
Are Muslims being killed by the terrorists as well? “Yes!”
If that is the case let us call it what it is: the genocide of BOTH Christians and Muslims by a group of heartless beasts from hell who seek to wipe us all out and impose their barbaric ways and values on those of us that they conquer, enslave and leave alive.
The solution to the problem is for us to come together and eliminate every single one of them and to expose and target their foreign and local sponsors and supporters.
The solution is NOT to sit in the comfort of our homes, fuelling further division and joining a bunch of excitable, bellicose, intellectually challenged and low-intelligence qouta reprobates in screaming the worne-out and increasingly irritating battle-cry and mantra of “Christian genocide” at the top of their voices whilst fantasising about some far-fetched, infantile and puerile “crusade” in Nigeria to be led by a group of illusionary Christian Knights and Knight Templars galloping in on white horses from Trump’s America who, whilst singing “Onward Christian Soldiers”, will storm our shores and attempt to deliver our Christian community from evil.
Such vainglorious and delusional fantasies and masturbatory dreams are indeed profound symptoms and glaring evidence of some form of mental illness on the part of those who share them and provide a veritable source of comic relief for the rest of us.
May God heal their broken minds and grant them good health.
(Chief Femi Fani-Kayode is the Sadaukin Shinkafi, the Wakilin Doka Potiskum, the Otunba Joga Orile, the Ajagunle Otun Ekiti, a former Minister of Culture and Tourism, a former Miinister of Aviation, a former Senior Special Assistant and spokesman to President Olusegun Obasanjo and a lawyer
society
Carabana@10: Ogede Elevates the Standard as the Emerging King of Hospitality Business in Nigeria
Carabana@10: Ogede Elevates the Standard as the Emerging King of Hospitality Business in Nigeria
The 10th anniversary celebration of Carabana, a leading hospitality brand in Nigeria, has officially kicked off with a week-long extravaganza. The festivities, which started on Tuesday, October 21st, have been marked by a series of exciting events that have left fans and patrons in awe.
The first day of the celebration saw Ogede, the founder of Carabana, visiting the Isolo General Hospital, where he helped offset the hospital bills of dozens of patients who couldn’t afford to pay. He also donated gift items to the hospital management and patients. This act of kindness has been met with appreciation from the hospital’s management and patients.
Ogede and his team also paid a courtesy visit to the Oba of Isolo at his palace on that same Tuesday, where the king praised him for being a great ambassador of the area and for his contributions to the development of Isolo. The Oba also commended Ogede for his entrepreneurial spirit and wished him continued success. The king recalled how Carabana Lounge started small.
On Wednesday, October 22nd, Carabana hosted a novelty football match between its staff and loyal customers. The match, which was played at the Isolo Estate Open Field, ended in a stalemate after regulation time, with Carabana’s team emerging victorious in the penalty shootout.
The same night, Carabana hosted an all-white party at its lounge, which was another huge success. The party was attended by friends, family, and patrons of the brand, who came out to celebrate Carabana’s 10-year milestone.
On Thursday, October 23rd, Carabana hosted an award and dinner night to recognize the contributions of its staff and loyal customers. The event, which was attended by the Isolo LCDA Chairman, was a grand affair that showcased the brand’s commitment to excellence.
The fourth day of the celebration saw Carabana hosting a heritage night, where Nigeria’s cultural heritage was on display. Yoruba and Igbo cultural dancers and masquerades entertained the guests, showcasing the country’s rich cultural diversity.
On Saturday, October 25th, Carabana will host a live performance by Ayaka of Uzubulu and Pyno, which was another huge success. The event was attended by fans and patrons of the brand, who came out to enjoy the music and celebrate Carabana’s 10-year milestone.
The grand finale of the celebration will take place on Sunday, October 26th, with a thanksgiving service in church and other activities.
The 10th anniversary celebration of Carabana has been a huge success, with each day’s event surpassing the previous one in terms of excitement and entertainment. Ogede’s vision for Carabana has been to create a brand that not only provides excellent hospitality services but also gives back to the community.
As Carabana looks to the future, it is clear that the brand will continue to thrive and remain a leader in the hospitality industry. With its commitment to excellence and community development, Carabana is poised for even greater success in the years to come.
REP. KALAMBAINA AND HIS RARE PARLIAMENTARY LEADERSHIP
By Idris Aminu
Among the very few names that resonate very loudly and command profound respect in the politics of the ancient Caliphate is Rep. Ahmad Abdullahi Kalambaina, the distinguished Honourable Member representing Kware/Wamakko Federal Constituency with unwavering dedication and exceptional prowess.
Known for his unparalleled grassroots mobilisation and far-reaching positive impact, Hon. Kalambaina is highly favoured and widely celebrated for his high-scale performance that touches directly and profoundly on the well-being, empowerment, and sustainable economic development of his constituents in every corner of the constituency.
As the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Rep. Kalambaina has demonstrated rare, exemplary, and visionary parliamentary leadership, earning him the deepest respect, admiration, and unwavering loyalty of his peers, colleagues, and constituents alike.
A true champion of constituency development and grassroots empowerment, Rep. Kalambaina’s deliberate, intentional, and consistent commitment to his constituency is vividly evident in his tireless efforts to secure critical projects, vital resources, and transformative interventions for Kware/Wamakko, re-echoing a determined, passionate, and positive dedication to improving their lives on multiple fronts, and earning him the exemplary, well-deserved reputation of a responsive, effective, and people-centered leader.
The Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Rep. Kalambaina plays a leading, critical, and highly evident role in shaping Nigeria’s defence policies with strategic insight, showcasing his deep expertise, invaluable experience, and authoritative voice in defence matters during various committee deliberations, hearings, and national security discussions. His various people-oriented projects stand out as a positive beacon of light, hope, and a pacesetter for others to emulate with enthusiasm and determination.
Hon. Kalambaina has initiated numerous remarkable, impactful, and developmental projects in his constituency, boldly building four separate road projects in Wamakko and Kware to enhance connectivity and economic activities, and constructing over twenty solar-powered water boreholes across various communities to ensure reliable access to clean water and improve public health.
To decisively ease the menace of infrastructural deficits in public schools within his constituency and promote educational excellence, Hon. Kalambaina built several modern schools and reconstructed various public schools with state-of-the-art facilities, including a fully equipped laboratory science facility at Kalambaina Secondary School in Wamakko Local Government aimed at enhancing research, providing practical science education to the citizens, and complementing the State Government’s commendable efforts toward boosting the education sector in Sokoto State.
A diligent, articulate, and passionate parliamentarian, his various insightful inputs and laudable contributions both at plenaries and as the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Defence have played a notable, influential, and pivotal role in shaping Nigeria’s defence policies with clarity and foresight.
His doggedness, proactive representation, and unyielding commitment to developing his constituency, along with the renewed hope and tangible progress he has brought to his people, have earned him widespread praise, glowing accolades, and heartfelt endorsements from many, including Governor Ahmed Aliyu and Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko.
An astute, dynamic, and transformational leader, Hon. Kalambaina’s outstanding leadership style is rapidly and positively transforming his constituency in profound ways, while his exceptional skill, strategic ability, and insightful congruence have secured numerous high-impact projects, timely interventions, and substantial resources for his constituency, vividly demonstrating his unmatched effectiveness as a representative
.As a dedicated member, Rep. Kalambaina always goes home to his constituency on a weekly basis without fail, ensuring that the pulse of his people’s needs beats in sync with every decision he makes in Abuja. His doors are always open to everyone, from the humblest farmer in the remotest village to the bustling trader in the heart of Kware, inviting all to share their joys, burdens, and aspirations with unbridled freedom and genuine warmth.
This weekly ritual of homecoming is a profound testament to his deep-rooted humility, transforming him into a living bridge between the corridors of power and the everyday struggles of his constituents, fostering an unbreakable bond of trust and intimacy that few leaders dare to cultivate.
In almost every three months, Rep. Kalambaina conducts empowerment initiatives that have a direct bearing on the growth and self-reliance of his constituency. These quarterly programs are meticulously planned and generously funded, including skill acquisition workshops for youth, micro-credit schemes for women entrepreneurs, agricultural toolkits for farmers, and health outreach for vulnerable families, all tailored to ignite sustainable livelihoods and shatter the chains of poverty.
This is hardly done by any member from his state, let alone the nation; while others make sporadic promises, Hon. Kalambaina delivers consistent revolutions every ninety days, lifting thousands from subsistence to surplus and earning him widespread acclaim as a true pacesetter.
Little wonder then that as a powerful testament to his immense popularity, the unshakeable trust, and the absolute confidence of his constituents in his focus, intentionality, and delivery, he secured a very resounding and historic victory in the recent bye-election with a landslide 31,288 votes, convincingly defeating his closest opponent, Alhaji Aminu Bello Kware of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who managed a distant 7,205 votes.
A symbol of hope, progress, and an amplification of true, authentic representation, Rep. Ahmad’s leadership in the House of Representatives is a clear reflection of his deep dedication to public service, his unwavering commitment to the overall development of Sokoto State, and his passion for uplifting his people.
As Rep. Ahmad Abdullahi Kalambaina continues to represent his constituency with distinction and vigour, he remains a notable, influential figure in Nigerian politics, a beacon of inspiration for emerging leaders, and a shining light leading thousands out of poverty to prosperity, opportunity, and sustainable growth.
Aminu PhD is an academic writing from Federal University Dutsinma.
*NUPRC AT 4 AND TRIBUTES TO MODEL OF EXCELLENCE
By Nnoli Okojie
Four years ago, a quiet ceremony in Abuja marked the birth of a new institution. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) was not launched with fanfare or fireworks—just a signed document, a handshake, and a promise to fix what had long been broken.
From that modest beginning, under the steady hand of Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, appointed Chief Executive in October 2021, a regulator once seen as a mere successor to legacy bodies has emerged as the architect of Nigeria’s upstream renaissance. This is not a tale of slogans, but of systems rebuilt, revenues reclaimed, and a nation’s energy future reclaimed—one bold decision at a time.
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) stands as the apex regulatory agency established to oversee and supervise upstream petroleum operations in Nigeria, ensuring compliance, efficiency, and sustainable growth.
Its broad Regulatory Action Plan (RAP) is meticulously focused on enhancing regulatory certainty and predictability, advancing future licensing rounds through robust policy and seamless implementation, optimizing the unit cost of production for greater competitiveness, automating processes and improving business workflows for heightened operational efficiency, promoting ease of entry and retention of investments, vacating burdensome entry barriers such as exorbitant asset acquisition fees, deepening transparency, accountability, and the elimination of discriminatory regulatory practices, implementing a comprehensive carbon credit earnings framework for upstream operations, accelerating the execution of oil and gas development and production projects, and enforcing the Drill or Drop provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (2021).
It also emphasizes the optimization of federation revenues, decarbonization and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions management in production environments, incorporating green sustainability narratives into Field Development Plans (FDPs), diligent monitoring and implementation of the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialization Programme (NGFCP) awarded sites for optimal flare-out monetization, Host Community Trust Fund implementation and guiding trust fund activities to minimize agitations in operational areas, achieving 100% hydrocarbon accounting, implementing the new production curtailment regime and domestic crude supply obligations, conducting annual asset performance assessments and reviews, enforcing Domestic Crude Supply Obligation (DCSO) and Domestic Gas Distribution Obligation (DGDO) to bolster domestic refining capacity, maintaining zero tolerance for defaults in royalty payments, creating value through rigorous approval of annual work programmes/budgets and monitoring financial viability, addressing crude oil and gas pricing in contemporary terms, and pursuing revenue generation with a zero-default strategy on royalty payments.
These are by no means exhaustive, as the mandate of the Commission encompasses its general objectives and functions as outlined in the PIA and, by extension, all other laws governing upstream petroleum operations in Nigeria. This includes rapidly actualizing the transformative vision of the PIA (2021) and elevating the efficiency and performance of the sector, with a strategic agenda tailored for Nigeria, Africa, and other resource-rich developing economies. This agenda navigates the evolving energy dynamics, calibrated against geography, history, and politics, while advocating for energy justice, equity, inclusivity, and long-term sustainability.
Today, the commission marks its fourth anniversary, birthed as a child of necessity to reclaim and restore our nation’s lost glory in the global energy arena. Instructively, a major challenge with such special purpose vehicles is the critical question of leadership, which can make or break their effectiveness.
It is against this backdrop that Engr. Gbenga Komolafe was appointed the Commission Chief Executive in October 2021, armed with a clear vision and mandate to drive systemic change. In this role, the mission was known and clearly defined from the outset by the leadership.
Since then, he has been instrumental in shaping the direction of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) through proactive, visionary, and significant leadership, transforming Nigeria’s oil and gas industry into a model of excellence in Africa’s energy sector. This has significantly boosted revenue generation, with the commission consistently surpassing its budgeted revenue target by 84%, demonstrating its unparalleled effectiveness in managing the nation’s hydrocarbon resources.
Engr. Gbenga’s institutionalization of positive reforms that promote transparency and accountability in the industry has led to enhanced oil production, with Nigeria’s output increasing to 1.7 million barrels per day, a significant reduction in oil theft from 200,000 barrels per day to 5,000 barrels per day, and driving Nigeria’s gas development agenda through initiatives like the National Gas Policy and the Gas Flare Commercialization Program. Additionally, the development of 25 priority regulations, with 17 already gazetted, provides a clear, structured framework for the industry, earning several awards and nominations, including the SERVICOM Outstanding Leadership Award and the Africa Energy Sector Regulator of the Year award.
Indeed, Engr. Gbenga has convincingly demonstrated his commitment to excellence, transparency, and sustainability in regulating Nigeria’s oil and gas industry through various frameworks that aid the autonomization of NUPRC’s operations, allowing it to make balanced decisions that foster investor confidence while safeguarding national interests. He has showcased competence and expertise in regulating the upstream petroleum industry, with reforms that promote transparency, efficiency, and professionalism, coupled with a data transparency model that publishes clearer data on production, investment flows, and environmental performance, ensuring accountability and informed decision-making.
He has also implemented the most ambitious Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT), an innovation that grants oil-producing communities a direct voice in project planning and environmental management, and introduced automated regulatory processes which have positively reduced inefficiencies, time wastages, and improved data accuracy and reliability in monitoring upstream activities.
Engr. Gbenga’s pursuit of excellence and verifiable results has led to the promotion of sustainable value creation from Nigeria’s petroleum resources for shared prosperity. With his various intentionally driven efforts to increase transparency and accountability in the oil and gas sector, he has favourably aligned the Commission with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), leading to the development of 25 priority high-impact regulations, with 17 gazetted, to provide clarity and structure to the industry. This regulatory framework is expected to boost investor confidence and promote sustainable development in the upstream petroleum sector, while the automated regulatory processes have greatly reduced inefficiencies, time wastage, and improved precision and data accuracy in monitoring upstream activities, substantially improving oil production and increasing it to over 1.6 million barrels per day, with efforts to reach 1.8 million barrels per day and beyond.
Engr. Gbenga’s enhanced positive efforts to reduce emissions and promote sustainable energy development have aligned the Commission with global best practices. The several reforms introduced by him are taking shape, increasing Nigeria’s oil production to over 1.6 million barrels per day, with efforts to reach 1.8 million barrels per day and beyond.
The commission aims to retain existing investments, encourage additional investments, and attract fresh investments by eliminating identified barriers. Presently, Engr. Gbenga is driving Nigeria’s gas development agenda through initiatives like the National Gas Policy and the Gas Flare Commercialization Program.
Through this pragmatic problem-solving approach, the commission has also approved 28 new Field Development Plans, which are expected to unlock an additional 600,000 barrels of oil per day and more than 2 billion standard cubic feet of gas daily. His prioritization of transparency and accountability in the operations of the Commission, with a focus on regulatory compliance and stakeholder engagement, has led to the implementation of measures to deepen transparency, accountability, and eliminate discriminatory regulatory practices.
These actions amplify his commitment to forging strategies aimed at reducing emissions and promoting sustainable energy development, driving efforts towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting the use of cleaner energy sources, while aggressively working to promote investment in the upstream petroleum sector by providing a conducive business environment and streamlining regulatory processes that position Nigeria as a prime destination for foreign direct investment in the sector.
Already, NUPRC has developed a comprehensive strategic plan that outlines its goals, strategies, and actions for the next decade. This plan focuses on optimizing value creation, diversifying revenue resources, enhancing stakeholder relationships, ensuring regulatory compliance, attracting investors, and improving operational efficiency in the nearest future, and is anchored on the dynamic and people-oriented leadership of Engr. Gbenga Komolafe. The plan is to implement its Regulatory Action Plan, which focuses on regulatory certainty and predictability, future licensing rounds policy and implementation, unit cost of production optimization, and automation and business process improvements for operational efficiency.
This will surely attract fresh investments in the upstream petroleum sector by providing a conducive business environment and streamlining regulatory processes, and increase revenue generation for the government through increased oil and gas production, improved regulatory compliance, and effective management of the nation’s petroleum resources, while also promoting sustainable development in the upstream petroleum sector by ensuring that operations are carried out in an environmentally friendly and socially responsible manner.
The Commission will also evolve plans for the actualization of the Project 1 Million Barrels of Oil Per Day, an initiative which aims to ramp up oil production and create solutions for production growth, coupled with driving a stronger commitment to reducing emissions and promoting sustainable energy development while holistically digitizing regulatory processes to enhance efficiency and service delivery.
Today, four candles burn bright on NUPRC’s anniversary cake—not just symbols of survival, but emblems of transformation. What began as a regulatory reset has become a national success story, powered by a leader who turned policy into progress and potential into performance.
Engr. Gbenga Komolafe didn’t just inherit a mandate; he redefined it. And in doing so, he has given Nigeria more than oil—he has given it ownership of its future.
As the next chapter unfolds, one thing is certain: with Komolafe at the helm, NUPRC is not just keeping pace with global energy shifts—it is setting the rhythm. From the Niger Delta to the world stage, the message is clear: Nigeria’s upstream sector is open, accountable, and unstoppable. The journey of excellence continues—and the best, without question, is yet to come.
Okojie is an oil and gas expert writing from Abu Dhabi, UAE.
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