  We investigate whether NLO BFKL evolution is capable to describe the energy
dependence of the exclusive photo-production cross-section of vector mesons
$J/\Psi$ and $\Upsilon$ on protons. Our description is based on available NLO
BFKL fits of the proton impact factor in inclusive DIS, which allow us to
construct the necessary scattering amplitude at zero momentum transfer $t=0$.
Assuming an exponential drop-off with $t$, this result allows us to calculate
the exclusive photoproduction cross-section. Comparing our results with both
HERA data (measured by H1 and ZEUS collaborations in $ep$ collision) and LHC
data (measured by ALICE, CMS and LHCb collaborations in ultra-peripheral $pp$
and $pPb$ collision) we find that our framework provides a very good
description of the energy dependence of the $J/\Psi$ and $\Upsilon$
photoproduction cross-section, providing therefore further evidence for BFKL
evolution at the LHC. The available fits of the proton impact factor require on
the other hand an adjustment in the overall normalization.
