News
CELEBRATING GBENGA KOMOLAFE’S TRANSFORMATIVE FOOTPRINTS
Imagine a young Gbenga Komolafe stepping into the labyrinthine world of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) over three decades ago, his heart alight with a quiet resolve to serve his nation. Today, as Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), this 62-year-old engineer stands as a towering figure, a visionary whose transformative leadership has turned the oil and gas sector into a beacon of hope and progress.
On his birthday, the story of a man whose multifaceted brilliance—part goal-getter, part social crusader, part disciplined innovator is unravelled. The remarkable life of a man who has left an indelible mark on Nigeria, his achievements as intricate and inspiring as a masterfully decoded cypher. Komolafe’s journey is a saga of resilience, a tale of a leader who navigates challenges like a seasoned explorer charting unmapped territories.
From his NNPC roots to his current stewardship at NUPRC, Komolafe has woven a legacy of transparency, accountability, and collaboration. His leadership style, a blend of inclusivity and results-driven pragmatism, has earned him quiet acclaim, often unsung yet ubiquitous in its impact.
Komolafe is a man of many positive faces. To some, he represents an unwavering goal-getter, while to others, he is an unflinching and dogged social crusader, and an astute people-oriented pacesetter with outstanding records of proven achievements, a phenomenon that is difficult to understand or explain.
An unsung hero, who remains essentially ubiquitous, his several laudable achievements at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) have been sparking curiosity and interest, encouraging several people to try to understand or solve them.
A resilient performer with an austere ability to bounce back from setbacks and failures, and a consistent capacity to adjust to changing circumstances, Engr. Gbenga remains a curious student of exploration, learning new ideas and perspectives, and understanding his strengths, weaknesses, and emotions, with the admirable grasp and intelligence to know that he can develop through effort and learning.
A well-disciplined personality who is consistently applying himself to achieve goals by concentrating on high-priority tasks and minimising distractions, Engr. Komolafe is driven and motivated by a genuine patriotic national interest and enthusiastic about fostering social reforms that will bring about social welfare and enduring benefits to all Nigerians.
Komolafe has consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence, accountability, positivity, transparency, and collaborative networking, leveraging relationships to achieve goals, embracing opportunities for growth and development, and enduring reforms, effecting the present positive impact, and changing narratives witnessed at the NUPRC today. His leadership style, characterised by transparency, inclusivity, and a focus on results, has earned him widespread recognition and acclaim.
Engr. Komolafe’s visionary stewardship at the NUPRC has implemented a series of groundbreaking reforms aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the oil and gas sector, leading to a significant increase in oil production, with Nigeria’s daily output reaching 1.7 million barrels, juxtaposed with the successful curbing of oil theft, reducing the menace to 5,000 barrels per day.
In the area of gas production, he has also achieved admirable successes, notably increasing and averaging seven billion standard cubic feet per day, and surpassing its targeted revenue with internally generated revenue exceeding 84%.
A genuinely transparent and result-based personality, Engr. Komolafe’s willingness to take calculated risks and ownership of his actions, decisions, and outcomes has not only effectively attracted others to join him in his reform programs but has instilled in them confidence and enabled him to foster enhanced diverse perspectives, leading to his several accomplishments.
A highly esteemed innovator, deliberate on sustainable development, value addition, and game-changing, Engr. Komolafe’s vision for the oil and gas sector extends beyond mere production increases to a desirable commitment to driving innovation, sustainability, and environmental responsibility.
Hence, initiative reforms such as the Nigeria Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme (NGFCP) and the Carbon Credits Earning Framework are demonstrations of his avowal to reduce the oil and gas industry’s carbon footprint and promote sustainable energy practices.
Most significantly, Komolafe’s contribution has been his prioritisation of transparency and accountability, and the introduction of cutting-edge regulatory frameworks, such as the Hydrocarbon Metering Regulations and Automated Cargo Declaration Systems, which have institutionalised transparency and bolstered Nigeria’s earnings from its hydrocarbon resources.
He has also sufficiently demonstrated a legacy that extends far beyond his impressive resume, becoming a beacon of shining light and an exemplary symbol of hope and transformation in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. His commitment to reform, innovate, and sustain productive, positive and pragmatic reforms in the oil and gas sector has set a new standard for regulatory bodies in Africa, and made it a compass to the world.
As Nigeria’s energy sector continues to evolve, the solid and sagacious foundation laid by Engr. Gbenga will remain an indelible framework for the nation’s progress, a testament to the power of visionary and strategic leadership. On his 62nd birthday, it’s fitting to reflect on his remarkable journey and the profoundly enduring impact he is having on Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
With a career spanning over 35 years, Engr. Komolafe has emerged as a champion of reform, driving transformative changes that have repositioned the industry for growth and sustainability. While celebrating the times and personality of this great reformer, Engineer Gbenga Komolafe, who is driving a powerful reform at NUPRC, in wishing him many more years of intentional service to the world, it is our fervent prayer that God will grant him greater self-awareness, empathy, and social skills that will continue to enhance relationships and decision-making.
As we honour his transformative odyssey, we pray for his enduring wisdom, empathy, and resilience to guide NUPRC forward, fueling a united, prosperous Nigeria that inspires generations to dream boldly and soar.
***Aminu Kaita writes from Kaduna refinery complex
Entertainment
Davido breaks silence after Grammy Award loss
Five-time Grammy nominee, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has reacted after losing the Best African Music Performance category at the 68th Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles, United States.
The Afrobeats star shared a message of faith and resilience following the outcome of the ceremony, which took place on Sunday night at the Crypto.com Arena in California.
In a post on his Instagram page, Davido shared photos with his wife, Chioma, from the event and wrote, “Oluwa Dey my side,” alongside prayer and music emojis.
Hours later, he posted another set of pictures of himself and Chioma at the Grammys, reflecting on the loss in a longer caption.
“I said baby listen we lost again let’s not go ! she said ‘Be humble in victory and gracious in defeat’ we outside,” he wrote.
Chioma also reacted via her Instagram page, praising the singer, “You already know that you’re the perfect one, @davido,” she wrote, while sharing photos from the awards night.
Davido was nominated in the Best African Music Performance category at the 2026 Grammy Awards but lost to South African singer Tyla, who won with her song Push 2 Start.
Other nominees in the category included Burna Boy (Love), Ayra Starr and Wizkid (Gimme Dat), Davido (With You featuring Omah Lay), and Eddy Kenzo and Mehran Matin (Hope & Love).
The win marked Tyla’s second Grammy Award, following her first victory in 2024 for her hit single Water.
Speaking during the awards ceremony, the singer revealed that With You, featuring Omah Lay, almost did not make the final tracklist of his album 5IVE.
“Man, it’s so crazy because that song almost didn’t make the album. With You was not in anybody’s top five.
“And now look at it go. Every time I was performing it, my heart would just start beating like, what if I didn’t put this song?” he told OkayAfrica.
Davido also recounted how he learned about the Grammy nomination, saying the news came unexpectedly while he was in Dubai, days before his birthday.
“I was in the car, actually, checking a car, and then my phone rang. They were like, ‘Oh yeah, another nomination.’ I was like, wow. Thank God,” he said.
“With You” was released in April 2025 as the 17th track on Davido’s fifth studio album, 5IVE, and has since become one of his most successful recent records, surpassing 100 million streams on Spotify.
Despite the song’s success, Nigeria did not record a win at the 2026 Grammy Awards.
Davido said he is now focused on touring and releasing new music.
He is also billed to perform at Coachella 2026, where he will be the only Nigerian artiste on the festival lineup, performing on April 11 and April 18, 2026, in Indio, California.
-Guardian
Entertainment
Kunle Afolayan gives reasons to marry many women
Nollywood filmmaker, Kunle Afolayan, has stirred reactions after advising men to “marry many women” while reflecting on his upbringing in a polygamous home.
The actor and producer made the remarks at the watch party of Aníkúlápó: The Ghoul Awakens, with a clip from the event going viral on Tuesday.
Speaking at the event, Afolayan linked his existence and achievements to his late father’s decision to marry several wives.
“Without my father, there wouldn’t have been a KAP Village or even Kunle Afolayan. I am the seventh born of my father because my father had ten wives. For the men, marry many women, or rather be involved with many women. You know why? If my father didn’t, he would not have born me, and that is the honest truth. But today, a few of us are lifting his legacy. Life is short, death is constant. Nobody has life forever. Everybody has a period. Use your period,” he said.
While his daughter, Eyiyemi Afolayan, joined him on stage, the filmmaker compared his childhood experience with his relationship with his children.
“They are lucky. For her, staying by my side is luck. Do you know why? I couldn’t stand it with my father. My father didn’t know my school. My father didn’t know my date of birth. He did not know anything about me other than, ‘He is the son of that person.’ But today, I’m so proud of my father,” he added.
Afolayan also spoke about fatherhood.
“Sometimes when people say ‘Happy Father’s Day,’ I’m always saying whether he pays child support or not, he’s still a father. I have been going to court because I want to get a divorce. I don’t mind being in the witness box, and I experienced the shit, so that I can marry many wives,” he said.
He thereafter prayed for his daughter, praising her role in the series.
“Hephzibah, her mother is the one who gave her the name. I don’t care, but I am proud of you. You started with the film, you did the first season, and now with the second season, you did amazingly well. My good Lord will continue to increase you in wisdom, in knowledge, and in understanding. If this is your path, the good Lord will see you through.”
However, this is not the first time the filmmaker has spoken about his late father’s polygamous lifestyle.
In March 2021, Afolayan told BBC Pidgin that his father, Adeyemi Afolayan, who died in 1996, married 10 wives and had 25 children, a decision he said took a toll on the family.
“I would not want to marry many wives because my father had 10 wives and I knew what happened throughout that period. I knew that really distracted my father. In this age, nobody needs to tell you before you know what’s right,” he said at the time.
He also disclosed that growing up in a polygamous home affected bonding among the children due to language and other barriers.
Afolayan further narrated how he battled poverty in his early years, revealing that he once lived in a one-room apartment in Ebute-Metta and sometimes had to deal with flooding.
“I was born in Ebute-Metta and have lived in one-room apartment before that we even have to grapple with flood sometimes. It’s not shame to say have been poor before. But if you see how l made it, it’s a matter of consistency. My father was a very popular filmmaker and ordinarily, people would expect me to life the kind of live akin to Hollywood stars,” he said.
“But that wasn’t the case. How would one live such life when you’re living in a room with ten women. That doesn’t mean there was no love among us.”
He had advised young filmmakers to start with the little resources available to them while working towards their dreams.
-Guardian
Article
Court adjourns Ganduje’s corruption trial to April 15
A Kano State High Court has adjourned until April 15 the trial of former governor Abdullahi Ganduje, his wife, Hafsat Umar, and son, Abdullahi Umar, alongside five other defendants, over alleged misappropriation of public funds amounting to billions of naira.
The defendants are facing an 11-count charge bordering on bribery, conspiracy, misappropriation, and diversion of public funds. The remaining accused persons are Abubakar Bawuro, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd, Safari Textiles Ltd, and Lasage General Enterprises Ltd.
At the resumed hearing, the prosecution told the court it was ready to proceed and drew attention to a motion dated November 24, 2025, seeking leave to file additional proof of evidence.
However, defence lawyers raised objections, informing the court that multiple applications were pending and must be resolved before the trial could continue.
Lydia Oluwakemi-Oyewo, counsel to some of the defendants, said the defence had filed a motion dated July 17, 2025, seeking a stay of proceedings.
Adekunle Taiye-Falola, representing the third and seventh defendants, also referred to a separate motion dated May 23, 2025.
In addition, Muhammad Shehu, counsel to the fifth defendant, told the court that an affidavit had been filed notifying it of a pending application for stay of proceedings before the Court of Appeal.
Abubakar Ahmad, counsel to the sixth defendant, informed the court that he had filed a notice of preliminary objection and an application for extension of time to respond on points of law dated February 2, urging the court to fix a date for hearing.
Only Faruk Asekome, counsel to the eighth defendant, indicated readiness to proceed with the trial.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the presiding judge, Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu, adjourned the matter to April 15 for the hearing of all pending applications and preliminary objections.
The trial has suffered repeated delays due to legal challenges. The high court had earlier dismissed preliminary objections raised by the defence as “incompetent” and affirmed its jurisdiction to hear the case.
That ruling was appealed by the defendants, who argued that the trial court lacked jurisdiction. However, in October 2025, the Kano Division of the Court of Appeal struck out the appeal, citing failure to properly transmit the record of appeal.
-Guardian
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