NUPRC, NNRA partner to strengthen Radiological Safety in Oil, Gas operations

By Onu Okorie

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission NUPRC and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority NNRA have agreed to deepen collaboration aimed at enhancing radiological safety in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry while reducing operational costs for investors and operators.

The agreement was reached during a recent meeting at the NUPRC headquarters between the Commission Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, and the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the NNRA, Yau Idris.

The partnership is expected to address regulatory overlaps, improve compliance processes, and strengthen safety standards in the upstream petroleum sector. While the NUPRC regulates the technical, commercial, and operational aspects of oil and gas exploration and production, the NNRA is responsible for overseeing the possession, use, transportation, and disposal of radioactive sources, as well as promoting the safe application of radiation technologies across various sectors.

Speaking during the meeting, Eyesan emphasized the need to eliminate regulatory gaps and reduce the multiplicity of laws and regulations affecting the oil and gas industry. According to her, streamlining regulatory requirements would lower operational costs and improve the ease of doing business in the sector.

“The only way we can safeguard investments is to reduce our cost of operations. When you have multiplicity of laws, the likelihood is that you will have higher costs because each law normally comes with its own fees and charges,” she said.

She disclosed that senior officials from the Commission had been nominated to work closely with their counterparts at 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,” Eyesan added.

In his response, Idris noted that the upstream petroleum industry is among the largest users of radioactive sources and radiation-emitting equipment in Nigeria, particularly for well logging, industrial radiography, and nucleonic gauging. He stressed that the NNRA depends on close cooperation with the NUPRC to effectively discharge its regulatory responsibilities.

“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 explained that oil and gas exploration and production activities often bring Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) to the surface, creating the need for stronger regulatory oversight. To address this, the NNRA is seeking the Commission’s support in ensuring that operators conduct radiological impact assessments as part of their broader environmental impact assessments.

The proposed collaboration will also see NORM management protocols integrated into the NUPRC’s environmental guidelines for upstream petroleum operations.

Beyond regulatory coordination, both agencies are expected to work together on training programmes and knowledge-sharing initiatives focused on radiation protection, operational safety, and best practices in the management of radioactive materials within the oil and gas sector.

Industry observers believe the partnership could help improve regulatory efficiency, enhance environmental protection, and boost investor confidence by reducing compliance burdens while maintaining high safety standards.