The Chief Executive Officers of Nigeria’s two primary petroleum regulatory agencies have resigned their positions. Engineer Farouk Ahmed of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and Gbenga Komolafe of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) stepped down on Wednesday.
Their resignations follow closely on allegations of corruption made against Farouk Ahmed by Aliko Dangote, the President of Dangote Industries Limited, just twenty-four hours prior. Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga confirmed the resignations and announced President Bola Tinubu’s subsequent action. “President Tinubu has written to the Senate, requesting expedited confirmation of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as CEO of NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of NMDPRA,” Onanuga stated.
The nominated individuals bring extensive industry experience. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, a University of Benin Economics graduate, served at the NNPC for nearly 33 years, most recently as Executive Vice President, Upstream. Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, a Chemical Engineering graduate from Ahmadu Bello University, has held several key roles, including Managing Director of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company. “The two nominees are seasoned professionals in the oil and gas industry,” Onanuga added.
Engineer Mohammed’s career includes chairing the boards of the West African Gas Pipeline Company and NNPC Retail, and serving as Group Executive Director for Gas and Power. He provided strategic leadership for major initiatives like the Gas Masterplan and contributed to the Petroleum Industry Act. He also played a pivotal role in executing critical national projects such as the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline. His nomination comes on the same day he was announced as an independent non-executive director at Seplat Energy.
Both outgoing officials were originally appointed in 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari to lead the agencies established by the Petroleum Industry Act. Their replacements now await confirmation by the Nigerian Senate.
