Dr Christian Chime Onwunyili

Empowering Transformative Change in the Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Sector.

“I strongly believe that the AIG Public Leaders Programme offers a world-class platform that fosters innovative policies, ethical leadership, and governance transformation, which aligns perfectly with my passion for shaping investment-driven policies, fostering innovation, and positioning Nigeria’s oil and gas sector as a global benchmark.” - Dr Christian Chime Onwunyili, Technical Assistant to the Commission Chief Executive/Team Lead, Research, Planning, and Statistics team, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) 

Dr. Christian Chime Onwunyili is the Technical Assistant to the Commission Chief Executive. He also leads the Research, Planning, and Statistics team at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). 

Recognising the role of strategic leadership and a deep commitment to driving transformative change in the Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, he applied for the AIG Public Leaders Programme. 

“I firmly believe that visionary leadership is the bedrock of effective governance, and in this pivotal moment of Nigeria’s oil and gas transformation, strategic leadership is imperative for regulatory excellence, investment enablement, and lasting progress,” he says. 

Speaking on the impact of the programme, he affirms that the AIG Public Leaders Programme’s holistic approach to capacity building has shaped his approach to reforms and have truly empowered him to be a change agent. 

“The AIG PLP’s emphasis on ethical leadership, policy innovation, and transformative governance, emphasizing not just rule creation but the people, behaviours, and culture that sustain lasting change, alongside the teachings on harnessing digital technologies, has profoundly shaped my approach to institutional reform and empowered me to drive impactful governance in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.” 

Speaking about his reform project, he reveals how he developed a comprehensive framework for Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to improve regulatory processes and operational efficiency within the commission. He conducted a comprehensive mapping and review of 384 regulatory services, uncovering critical gaps and redundancies in existing procedures. This analysis has sparked his ongoing efforts to streamline regulatory approvals, minimise delays and address the factors that previously hindered investment in the commission.  

“Leveraging insights from the programme, I spearheaded the mapping and review of 384 regulatory services, identified critical gaps, secured executive buy-in, and spurred the ongoing alignment of job functions and procedures for enhanced governance.”  

His initiative harnessed technology through a digital tracking system and dwelt on stakeholder engagement to improve compliance and regulatory efficiency. Although the project is still in its early stages of implementation, his reform efforts have recorded an increase in staff awareness, greater SOP adoption, and a structured approach to transparent and predictable regulatory processes. 

“The initiative has fostered greater ownership of regulatory processes, leading to higher SOP adoption, increased staff awareness, and improved procedural consistency across departments. A key innovation is the introduction of digital tracking systems and a leadership dashboard to monitor SOP compliance. This is expected to enhance transparency, facilitate procedural adherence, and strengthen accountability,” he says. 

The project is expected to have long term effects on the commission. Beyond immediate improvements, this project will continually improve efficiency within the commission, ensuring sustained long-term impact. 

“Early results indicate positive and impactful changes, demonstrating that the groundwork laid through this initiative is driving long-term institutional reform and strengthening Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector. The project is designed as part of a continuous effort to enhance the upstream regulatory space even beyond the completion of the PLP Reform Project, ensuring sustained long-term impact.” 

By addressing the inefficiencies within the regulatory system and promoting predictable regulatory processes, his reform project is expected to build stakeholder confidence, attract investment, and position the NUPRC as a more effective regulator in the oil and gas sector.