Petroleum Ministry Moves to Fully Automate Activities, Begins Paperless Interface

•Eyesan assumes duty at NUPRC, pledges oil, gas output growth

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja and Peter Uzoho in Lagos

Ministry of Petroleum Resources yesterday announced plans to fully automate its operations, setting the stage for paperless interactions across its departments as part of a push to improve efficiency, transparency, and service delivery in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

The initiative coming under the federal government’s Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system “Go Live”, according to the government, will digitise internal workflows, approvals and correspondence, while also migrating engagements with operators, regulators, and other stakeholders to secure electronic platforms.

THISDAY learnt that the move was expected to reduce bureaucratic delays, minimise human discretion in routine processes, and cut operational costs associated with manual documentation.

Speaking during the launch in Abuja, Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, said the project, a brainchild of the Head of Service of the Federation (HOSF), was a bold initiative.

Lokpobiri stressed that it will ensure that government business was done in a seamless manner.

According to him, apart from being transformational, changing from analogue to digital processes, it will also enhance the way communication is carried out in the petroleum ministry.

Supported by Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB), Nigeria’s national digital infrastructure and shared ICT provider, Lokpobiri stated that rather than some departments and agencies paying for flights to get documents signed, they could now be carried out seamlessly online.

“And so this is one initiative that is transformative. This is one initiative that aligns with the general public and the world. I think this should have come perhaps 10, 15 years ago. But I’m very proud that this is coming from the organisation,” Lokpobiri said.

Describing the petroleum sector as the most critical sector “in our national life”, Lokpobiri stated that if the oil and gas sector was successful, then every other sector will feel the impact.

In her keynote, the Head of Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, explained that the initiative strengthened the effectiveness of the public service by enabling faster work processes, secure record management, and reduced reliance on paper.

For a ministry that played a strategic role in Nigeria’s economic stability and energy security, Walson-Jack said the milestone was both timely and significant.

She stated, “The Ministry of Petroleum Resources occupies a critical position in national development, with responsibility for policy formulation, coordination, and oversight in the oil and gas sector. Its efficiency directly impacts revenue generation, investment confidence, and national planning.

“Today’s launch, therefore, represents a deliberate shift in how work is organised, records are managed, and decisions are supported. Given the ministry’s constant engagement with regulatory agencies, operators, and other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, manual processes can no longer meet operational demands.”

With the deployment, Walson-Jack stated that the ministry joined institutions across the Federal Civil Service using the Enterprise Content Management System, ensuring secure records, clear audit trails, efficient workflows, and reliable institutional memory.

Deployed on the 1Gov Cloud platform, she explained that ECMS enabled electronic approvals, automated workflows, and interoperability across government, shifting decision-making from the movement of files to timely access to accurate information.

She added, “This development places the ministry on track to comply with the federal government’s directive on the full digitalisation of work processes by 31 December 2025 and advances Pillar Five of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP25), which prioritises digitalisation across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.”

However, Walson-Jack said digital transformation did not end with the launch of a system, stressing that its success depends on consistent use, adherence to established processes, and sustained digital discipline.

According to her, “Going forward, paper-based processing within the Ministry of Petroleum Resources should progressively give way to disciplined digital practice, with official correspondence routed through registry.ops@petroleumresources.gov.ng, registry.ohmspro@petroleumresources.gov.ng (HM Oil) and registry.ohmsprg@petroleumresources.gov.ng (HM Gas).”

Earlier, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Patience Oyekunle, said the event signified the transition from manual, paper-based processes to a modern digital platform that will enhance efficiency, transparency, and service delivery.

“This achievement aligns with the ongoing public service reforms championed by the federal government,” Oyekunle stressed.

Meanwhile, the new chief executive of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, assumed office with a clear message to advance the country’s upstream oil and gas sector in line with the mandate of the commission as enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.

Eyesan said spoke on Tuesday during her first town hall meeting with the management and staff of the agency, according to a statement by Head of Media and Strategic Communication of the commission, Mr. Eniola Akinkuotu, which was obtained yesterday by THISDAY.

Eyesan was appointed NUPRC chief executive last Wednesday by President Bola Tinubu in replacement of Gbenga Komolafe, who had resigned the same day, together with his counterpart at Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr. Farouk Ahmed.

Taking over from her predecessor, Eyesan further disclosed plans to make the commission a business enabler and reignite investments in the upstream sector. She also set a firm production ambition of growing Nigeria’s output and increasing gas production.

The NUPRC boss said, “The goal is that we must enable the industry; we are regulators. We must enable the industry from our interactions with the stakeholders, from our interactions with everybody.

“My main objective is to ensure that we make a difference. I believe the NUPRC is at the centre of the industry.”

Eyesan, who had served for over three decades in the oil and gas sector, promised to entrench digitisation, transparency, and efficiency in operations.

She said with the support of staff and management, NUPRC would become the gold-standard regulator in Africa.

Eyesan also promised capacity development, stronger technical depth, and sustained engagement with stakeholders, unions, and professional teams.

On leadership style, she promised an open-door policy and frequent staff engagement.

Eyesan solicited support and cooperation as the industry embarked on the next phase of transformation.

“If we work together, we can unleash opportunities, I don’t see impediments only opportunities,” she added.