Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory sector has been thrown into upheaval following the resignation of Farouk Ahmed, Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
Both officials, appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), stepped down amid corruption allegations and mounting industry pressure.
In response, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has written to the Senate, seeking expedited confirmation of two seasoned professionals to take charge of the agencies. He nominated Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as CEO of NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of NMDPRA.
Eyesan, an Economics graduate of the University of Benin, brings over three decades of experience at the NNPC, where she retired as Executive Vice President, Upstream (2023–2024), after serving as Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy.
Engineer Mohammed, a Chemical Engineering graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, has held top leadership roles across Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, including MD of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, Nigerian Gas Company, and board chair positions at Nigeria LNG subsidiaries and NNPC Retail.
He also played a pivotal role in landmark projects such as the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline Expansion and the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline.
This swift move by President Tinubu underscores the urgency of stabilizing Nigeria’s oil regulatory framework following a dramatic shakeup at the top.
1 comment