The Ministry of Petroleum Resources has inaugurated its Plan Implementation Committee for the forthcoming National Development Plan (NDP) 2026–2030.
The event, held in Abuja, was in line with the Federal Government’s directive to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to commence early preparations for a seamless transition from the current NDP 2021–2025.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Emeka Vitalis Obi, represented by the Director, Midstream and Downstream, Mr. Mohammed Mohammed Abubakar, described the exercise as both timely and significant.
He underscored the ministry’s commitment to aligning with national directives and ensuring that the oil and gas sector continues to play a pivotal role in Nigeria’s socio-economic transformation.
Obi emphasised the centrality of the petroleum sector to government revenues, foreign exchange earnings, and national energy security.
He noted that the committee would serve as the “engine room” for ensuring continuity, coherence, and alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda and the Nigeria Agenda 2050.
According to him, the committee was carefully constituted to leverage the knowledge, experience, and technical expertise of officers across the ministry and its agencies.
Its mandate includes developing methodologies for evidence-based planning, ensuring sectoral alignment, and charting a clear roadmap for the effective implementation of the NDP 2026–2030.
The Permanent Secretary charged members of the committee to approach their assignment with diligence, patriotism, and unwavering commitment to excellence.
He further urged them to foster robust engagement, generate innovative ideas, and strengthen collaboration in order to deliver a plan that meets Nigeria’s developmental aspirations.
The membership of the implementation committee is as follows: The Permanent Secretary, MPR. Dr. Vitalis Emeka Obi, Chairman; Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Usman Abdulkadir, as Co – Chairman.
Others are: Special Assistant to the Permanent Secretary, Engr. Ifeanyi Jude Ngama; Deputy Director (M&E/Head PPP), Mrs. Haruna Hasfat; Deputy Director (Exploration) Dangana Tende, Assistant Director (Finance and Accounts), Aminat Bolanle Apaokagi; Assistant Director (Planning), Mrs. Veronica Okotie, and Assistant Director (M&E), Victor Oforishe, as Secretary.
Other members are: Chief Petroleum Engineer, Engr. Onakpoyovwi-re Hozana; Chief Accountant, Sylvester Omaka; Assistant Chief Administrative Officer, Luka Timothy; Assistant Chief Program Analyst (M&E), Mariam Utuk; Assistant Chief Petroleum Engineer, Oladipo Agboola; Assistant Chief Geologist, Geologist Ogidikpe Ayauge; Assistant Chief Petroleum Engineer, Engr. Raphael Chindah, and Senior Petroleum Engineer, Dr. Oranta Kingsley Godwin.
The Implementation Committee equally has members drawn from the agencies under the supervision of the Ministry. They are: Tukur B. Labbo, Petroleum Training Institute; Prof. Jasper Ikpesu, Petroleum Training Institute; Ahmed A.S., Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission; Osuji Ogechukwu, Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority; Aniekwe Chuka, Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority; Paul Nikade, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board; Dr. Ayebatonye Epemu, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board; Bala Shaffii, Petroleum Technology Development Fund, and Usman I. Hassan, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Director of Plans and Projects Development, Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Dr. Kenneth Kwujeli, noted that the centrality of the oil and gas sector in the national development plan of 2026 – 2030 cannot be over emphasised and encouraged the members of the committee to work towards instituting a development plan that will usher in a new budget line that would have direct positive and unprecedented impacts on the teeming population across the states of the federation.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics (PRS), Mr. Usman Abdulkadir, emphasised that the exercise was in line with the Federal Government’s directive, conveyed through the Ministry of Budget and National Planning.
He explained that with the current National Development Plan (2021–2025) set to wind down at the end of the year, it had become imperative to develop a successor plan (2026–2030) in order to sustain momentum and build on the progress already achieved.
The ceremony was attended by senior officials and representatives from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), among others.
