Pat Stevens/
President Bola Tinubu has nominated new chief executives for Nigeria’s two key petroleum regulators following the resignation of Engineer Farouk Ahmed and Gbenga Komolafe, a move that comes against the backdrop of public allegations by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, against the leadership of the downstream regulator.
In a letter to the Senate, President Tinubu requested the confirmation of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as chief executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The nominations followed the resignation of Farouk Ahmed, who headed the NMDPRA, and Komolafe, who led the NUPRC.
Both men were appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari to oversee the regulatory institutions created under the Petroleum Industry Act.
The development comes two days after Aliko Dangote, president of the Dangote Group, accused Farouk Ahmed and officials of the NMDPRA of frustrating the operations of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals.
Dangote alleged that the regulator was undermining local refining by issuing import licences for petroleum products and enforcing standards that he claimed were inconsistent with global practice.
Dangote also publicly questioned the integrity and motives of the downstream regulator, arguing that regulatory actions were discouraging domestic investment and protecting vested interests in fuel importation.
The NMDPRA, under Farouk Ahmed, rejected the allegations, insisting that it acted within the law and in line with its mandate to ensure quality and competition in the downstream sector.
While the presidency did not directly link the resignations to the controversy, the exit of Farouk Ahmed has intensified scrutiny of regulatory governance in the oil and gas industry, particularly at a time when the government is seeking to stabilise fuel supply and attract investment into domestic refining.
Of the new nominees, Eyesan is a seasoned industry professional with nearly 33 years’ experience at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company and its subsidiaries. A graduate of Economics from the University of Benin, she retired in 2024 as Executive Vice President, Upstream, having previously served as Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy.
Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, born in 1957, is a chemical engineering graduate of Ahmadu Bello University. He has held several senior roles in the sector, including Managing Director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company.
He also served as Group Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer for Gas and Power at the NNPC, where he played key roles in major gas infrastructure projects and policy frameworks linked to the Petroleum Industry Act.
President Tinubu has urged the Senate to expedite consideration of the nominations as part of efforts to ensure continuity and stability in the regulation of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
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