The West African Centre for Oil Governance (WACOG) has congratulated Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), on his election as chairman of the African Petroleum Regulators Forum (AFRIPERF), describing the development as a major step toward deeper regional energy integration and stronger regulatory alignment across the continent.

In a statement issued on Friday and signed by its executive director, Dr. Mensah Kofi Adjei, WACOG said Komolafe’s emergence reflects “the growing recognition of Nigeria’s leadership capacity in shaping Africa’s energy future” and marks a new phase in the continent-wide push to harmonise petroleum regulatory frameworks.

Komolafe was elected during AFRIPERF’s executive committee meeting earlier in the week, where Nigeria was simultaneously named the official headquarters of the Forum. WACOG said the dual endorsement underscores Nigeria’s influence as Africa’s leading oil producer and its demonstrated commitment to transparent and modern regulatory standards.

Dr. Adjei said Komolafe’s performance at the helm of the NUPRC has been widely noted across West Africa, explaining that his track record in strengthening technical standards, advancing regulatory reforms and deepening investor engagement made him an “exceptional choice” to lead the Forum.

“The Forum requires a leader with both continental perspective and deep industry knowledge—criteria that Engr. Komolafe meets with distinction,” the statement read.

WACOG noted that Komolafe’s tenure begins at a time when African regulators are grappling with shifting global energy dynamics, rapid technological changes and rising pressure to harness hydrocarbon resources for sustainable development.

It said AFRIPERF is expected to drive reforms that foster a unified continental regulatory voice on issues such as investment security, energy transition financing, emissions standards, cross-border upstream infrastructure and the future of Africa’s crude in international markets.

Dr. Adjei added that Nigeria hosting the Forum’s headquarters would provide West African regulators access to the country’s wealth of technical expertise, institutional memory and long-standing experience in upstream governance.

WACOG urged AFRIPERF member-states to fully support the new leadership and encouraged the Forum to prioritise capacity building to address structural gaps that still undermine regulatory efficiency in many countries.

“Komolafe’s tenure must usher in an era where African regulators no longer operate in silos but function as a coordinated bloc capable of defending the continent’s interests,” it said.

The Centre reaffirmed its readiness to collaborate with AFRIPERF on research, training and policy initiatives, describing Komolafe’s election as “a defining moment for Africa’s oil governance framework.”

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