NUPRC Chief Gbenga Komolafe and Aisha Achimugu have been named in alleged $5 million oil block licensing scandal.
A major scandal is unfolding in Nigeria’s oil sector as Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), faces damning allegations of facilitating a $5 million oil block deal for Aisha Achimugu, a businesswoman currently wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to an exclusive report by Point Blank News, Achimugu allegedly secured access to a prime oil asset shortly after a $5 million payment was routed through intermediaries—raising serious questions about regulatory integrity and corruption at the highest levels of the petroleum licensing process.
Despite being under EFCC investigation for money laundering and fraudulent investment schemes, Achimugu reportedly obtained the oil block through what insiders claim was a so-called “strategic partnership”, widely seen as a euphemism for backdoor dealings.
Structured to Evade Detection
Sources within the NUPRC, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the transaction was intentionally structured to obscure the true sources and beneficiaries. Multiple layers of intermediaries were allegedly used to prevent regulatory detection.
“This wasn’t an isolated case,” said a senior NUPRC official. “There’s a growing concern that oil block allocations are now being traded for cash under the guise of strategic partnerships.”
The report further claims that Komolafe boasts of strong ties within the Presidency, allegedly using financial inducements to shield himself from oversight or possible removal. He was quoted by insiders as allegedly saying: “They can’t remove me. I deliver money directly to the Villa.”
Transparency Under Threat
The revelations come as a serious blow to efforts to reform Nigeria’s oil and gas sector under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, which was enacted to ensure transparency, fairness, and efficiency in the administration of petroleum resources.
“This scandal undermines everything the PIA stands for,” said a Lagos-based energy governance analyst. “If proven true, it’s not just a breach of public trust—it’s an indictment of the entire regulatory system.”
Industry stakeholders warn that such allegations—especially if unresolved—could damage investor confidence, delay critical upstream projects, and tarnish Nigeria’s image as a stable destination for energy investments.
Indigenous Firms Cry Foul
The fallout from the alleged deal is already being felt. Several indigenous oil firms reportedly claim they were sidelined in bidding rounds, with oil blocks going instead to politically connected individuals under questionable terms.
“This scandal shows that rules don’t apply equally,” one local oil executive said. “We followed all the procedures and still lost out.”
Calls for Probe Mount
Neither the NUPRC nor Komolafe has publicly responded to the allegations. However, civil society groups and transparency advocates are calling for an independent probe into the transaction and similar deals that may have followed the same pattern.
“This is a test for the Tinubu administration,” said a spokesperson for the Extractive Sector Integrity Network. “If the government is serious about reform, this is the time to act.”
Analysts warn that a failure to investigate and address the scandal could worsen Nigeria’s already fragile energy investment climate, particularly at a time when global capital is shifting toward more transparent and accountable jurisdictions.
As pressure mounts, all eyes are now on the Presidency and anti-graft agencies to determine whether this latest scandal will be swept under the rug—or trigger a long-overdue cleanup of Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory system.
