Success Nwogu 
The continued maintenance of professionalism, transparency and adoption of technology will ensure successful government activities in the oil and gas sector, SUCCESS NWOGU reports
The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has said that Nigeria will grow, have the confidence of foreign investors and attract more foreign direct investments, if government activities are carried on as the 2024 oil bid licensing round.
HEDA’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, in an interview with New Telegraph over the weekend, aligned with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) that the 2024 oil bid licensing round was carried out with a reasonable degree of professionalism and transparency.
He also said the deployment of technology in the process added more flips to the adjudged transparent and seamless process.
The 2024 oil bid licensing round was publicly and openly announced by the NUPRC Chief Executive, Engineer Gbenga Komolafe, to the extent of going over the portal that was created, submit necessary required documentation to ensure and confirm meeting the criteria set, pay the advertised amount, and then qualify.
Process not circumvented
Suraju said: “That was announced. That was also reported by some of the applicants to the process.
And so far till now, we have not really seen or heard of any of the applicants claiming that they were either short-changed or the process was circumvented or they were prevented from applying.
“So we’re still waiting to see how the process will then become a fullblown technology-driven process such that when people are also getting it, it is not now subjected to politicians constricting the process of allocating what has been won, because it’s one thing for you to win the bidding process.
“It is another thing for politicians, sitting or other users of national, domestic, and other superior authorities to try and moderate the decision of the NUPRC.
And that is where NUPRC will help a lot, also for Nigerians, by ensuring that the successful bidders are also paid properly so that we can know who succeeded in the bidding process and who also finally does the allocation, and know that some people will win the bidding process and the allocation will be given to some other different entities.”
The HEDA chief, however, urged winners of the bid to speak out if there is any form of manipulation along the process. He also urged NUPRC to ensure that they maintain or even surpass the current standard the agency has set.
Winners speak out
He said: “We need to encourage all those winners that they must speak up. It is not for them to go in silence if they suffer any form of untoward treatment on the part of the system.
“So it’s either on the part of NUPRC, or on the part of the minister, or on the part of the presidency, or any of the ministries. So if you have been clearly declared the winner of the bidding process, you are expected to get the reward for your victory.
And if that does not happen by any chance, I mean, except where some of them were not able to fully then fulfill the follow-up process of either paying the bonus and all the rest of that for a successful bidding process and the rest of that, if those are not the case, we expect that they should be the ones to alert the public, the media and civil society, to any form of untoward activities on the part of the regulatory agencies.
“What I’m going to tell NUPRC is that they have set a standard that they cannot depart from. And Nigerians and the industry workers are going to hold them by it.
The international community is also going to hold them to it. We want to see who are investors who have the confidence of coming to Nigeria. I think that things are not perfect. “And at this point in time, what we have seen, this is not going to be limited and should not be limited to just the marginal field.
Every other process of allocating very sensitive and important licenses and stuff like this one, it is extremely important that this standard be checked against.
And this one that has already been said, we want to see how successful it will be and they want to see how successful it will be also.” Komolafe in December 2024 had at the 2024 Commercial Bid Conference, in Lagos announced the winners of the 2024 bid round.
NUPRC
He said that NUPRC ensured transparency, sustainability, and economic growth in the upstream petroleum sector. He also highlighted the strategic value of fallow assets in enhancing Nigeria’s energy production.
He said that despite significant discoveries, many fields remained undeveloped, representing a substantial opportunity to boost output, create jobs, and attract foreign direct investment.
Komolafe said the 2025 licensing round would build on lessons learned from 2024 exercise and would focus on fallow assets and prioritise natural gas development, aligning with Nigeria’s commitment
NUPRC announced 25 companies as winners of the 2024 oil bid licensing
to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. According to him, the novel strategy aims to strengthen Nigeria’s position in the African oil and gas sector, countering competition from Angola and Namibia.
He maintained that by improving the ease of acquiring oil blocks, Nigeria hoped to retain investments and secure its place as a leading energy producer on the continent.
He also announced 25 companies as winners of the 2024 oil bid licensing. According to NUPRC, the 2024 licensing round intensified competition across 24 blocks, with major victories. There were also uncontested wins.
Underhand dealings
Reacting to a report of inappropriate acts during the exercise, NUPRC said reports alleging underhand dealings in the allocation of oil blocks during the 2024 oil licensing bid round were incorrect and malicious, adding that they have the intent to malign the integrity of the Commission’s leadership.
Chairman, 2024 Bid Round Committee NUPRC, Mr Bashiru Indabawa, asserted the commission used digital technology, the first in the nearly 70 years history of the agency.
He added that the 2024 bid round was not only devoid of human interference, there was no room for any form of manipulation.
According to him, the selection process for the 2024 oil bid round was a comprehensive and inclusive event with its outcome televised live and attended by all the stakeholders.
He said: “The selection process for the 2024 oil bid round was a comprehensive and inclusive event, involving a diverse array of stakeholders such as the international oil companies (IOCs), various local and international firms, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), relevant government agencies, civil society organisations, and both national and international media representatives.
“This process was conducted in a manner that upheld the principles of competitiveness, openness and transparency, as mandated by section 73 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).”
Indabawa, who doubles as Executive Commissioner in charge of Exploration and Acreage Management in NUPRC, said the licensing round conducted by NUPRC under Komolafe was the first in nearly 70 years of Nigeria’s upstream petroleum industry history to leverage digital technology, devoid of any human interference, in a manner adjudged to be in line with global best practices.
Outcome televised
He recalled that the outcome was televised live and attended by all the aforementioned stakeholders.
There was no room for any manipulation to warrant any underhand dealings whatsoever, as insinuated mischievously in the publication.
Indabawa, who notes that the anonymous reporter was obviously on a “blackmailing” mission, said if the facts were correct, at least one of the more than 14 alleged informants and so-called experts and groups cited in the report would have been properly identified.
He said: “Therefore, any allegations or insinuations regarding underhand dealings or bribery lack merit and are entirely unfounded, serving only to mislead.
These claims are not rooted in truth, and disregard the rigorous standards upheld throughout the selection process. “The storytelling style felt more like a targeted opinion than a legitimate news report.
The publication referred to a vague collection of contributors, such as multiple sources familiar with the matter, insiders, a senior NUPRC official who spoke anonymously, etc. Other phrases included analysts arguing, sources familiar with Komolafe’s operation, and many others who provided opinions without being named.
“This wholesale reliance on anonymity raises critical questions: What were these sources claiming? What were they disclosing or discussing in a matter that was not in the public domain.
If the story is a unique revelation based on careful investigation, as claimed, then the lack of identifiable sources undermines its credibility.
This approach suggests a bias and a possible agenda behind the article, indicating that the publication may have been more focused on attacking a subject than delivering a fair and factual report.
“Furthermore, the article provides no conclusions regarding the alleged cases involving the EFCC, ICPC or the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court. The publication’s consistent omission of the outcomes of the various investigations and adjudications raised in the concocted article suggests a deliberate attempt to mislead the audience and bolster the impact of its unfounded claims.
“The article is nothing more than a fabricated narrative aimed at defaming the leadership of the Commission. Its reliance on anonymous sources undermines the credibility of the claims made, raising serious doubts about the journalistic integrity of the piece.
Last line
“The meticulous processes and regulatory frameworks established by the NUPRC during the 2024 Oil Bid Round demonstrate a commitment to transparency and fairness in the industry.
Allegations of misconduct, particularly those lacking substantive evidence, distract from the real advancements being made in the oil sector and contribute to a culture of misinformation.
