NMDPRA Boss.webp
The Digest:

President Bola Tinubu has requested Senate confirmation for new chief executives of Nigeria's top petroleum regulatory bodies following the sudden resignations of Engineer Farouk Ahmed of the NMDPRA and Gbenga Komolafe of the NUPRC. The move comes days after Aliko Dangote levied serious allegations of corruption against Ahmed, sparking public outcry and protests.

Key Points:
  • The resignations follow Aliko Dangote's public allegations of economic sabotage and corruption against NMDPRA's Farouk Ahmed.
  • President Tinubu has nominated Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as CEO of the NUPRC.
  • Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed has been nominated as CEO of the NMDPRA.
  • Eyesan is a 33-year NNPC veteran, retiring as Executive Vice President, Upstream.
  • Mohammed, a chemical engineer, is a former MD of Kaduna Refinery and led major gas projects like the AKK pipeline.
  • Both outgoing CEOs were appointed in 2021 under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
  • The nominations are now pending expedited confirmation by the Senate.
In the high-stakes arena of energy regulation, leadership changes often signal more than a personnel shift—they mark a critical pivot in accountability and the balance of power between state authority and industrial influence.

Sources: Leadership