President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday asked the Senate to confirm new chief executives for Nigeria’s two petroleum regulatory agencies after the sudden resignations of the incumbents, the Presidency said.
In separate letters to the upper chamber, Tinubu forwarded the names of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan for the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and requested expedited confirmation. The request was announced in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The moves follow the resignations of Farouk Ahmed as NMDPRA chief executive and Gbenga Komolafe as NUPRC chief executive. Both men were appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari after the Petroleum Industry Act created the two agencies to regulate different parts of the oil and gas value chain.
The leadership changes come amid a high-profile public dispute involving billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote and the NMDPRA, in which Dangote accused the regulator’s management of enabling underpriced fuel imports that could undermine local refining capacity. International and local reports say the allegations and a formal complaint by Dangote intensified scrutiny of the agency’s operations.
The Presidency’s statement described the nominees as seasoned professionals with industry experience and urged the Senate to treat the confirmations as a priority to ensure continuity in regulation at a critical time for Nigeria’s energy sector. Media reports say the letters ask the Senate to expedite the processes.
Industry stakeholders and market watchers will be watching the Senate’s response closely. The two agencies play central roles in licensing, safety, and pricing matters across upstream, midstream and downstream segments as Nigeria continues to implement reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act.
The Senate is expected to consider the letters and may schedule confirmation hearings in the coming days. The Presidency’s press release and multiple national outlets publishing the development provide the official names and the context for the resignations.