President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday nominated two veteran industry professionals to lead Nigeria’s primary oil and gas regulatory bodies following the sudden resignations of the agencies' pioneer chief executives.
In a formal communication to the Senate, President Tinubu requested the "expedited confirmation" of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The nominations follow the departures of Engineer Farouk Ahmed (NMDPRA) and Gbenga Komolafe (NUPRC). Both officials were appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari to steer the new regulatory framework established by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
“The President’s request is intended to ensure continuity and stability within the petroleum regulatory framework,” stated a release from the State House signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
The new nominees bring over six decades of combined experience within the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and the private sector.
Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, an economics graduate from the University of Benin, served nearly 33 years at the NNPC.
She most recently held the position of Executive Vice President, Upstream, between 2023 and 2024.
Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, a chemical engineering graduate from Ahmadu Bello University, is a former group executive director at the NNPC. His career includes managing the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company.
“Engineer Mohammed played a pivotal role in delivering key projects such as the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline Expansion and the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline,” the State House announcement noted.
The leadership change occurs amid heightened scrutiny of the midstream sector. Outgoing NMDPRA head Farouk Ahmed had recently been the subject of a petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) regarding allegations of financial impropriety.
In a separate move reflecting his industry standing, Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed was announced as an independent non-executive director at Seplat Energy just 24 hours prior to his presidential nomination. It remains unclear if he will proceed with the private sector role should his government appointment be confirmed.
