President Bola Tinubu has forwarded the names of new chief executives for Nigeria’s upstream and downstream petroleum regulators to the Senate for confirmation, following the resignations of the previous heads amid growing scrutiny of the sector.
In separate letters, the President nominated Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as CEO of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The appointments follow the resignations of Engineer Farouk Ahmed (former NMDPRA chief) and Mr Gbenga Komolafe (former NUPRC chief), both appointed in 2021 under the Petroleum Industry Act.
The shake-up comes after a public dispute between Mr Ahmed and Dangote Group President Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who accused the NMDPRA of frustrating domestic refining through the issuance of petroleum import licences and alleged personal corruption. Mr Dangote, through his lawyer, petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate Mr Ahmed, claiming he spent over $7 million on his children’s education abroad without evidence of lawful income. The ICPC confirmed it received the petition.
The controversy has also drawn legislative attention. The House of Representatives has resolved to probe the allegations and the issuance of petrol import licences, warning that the dispute could disrupt fuel supply and investor confidence during the Yuletide season.
The Presidency said the nominations were intended to ensure continuity in petroleum sector regulation. Ms Eyesan, an Economics graduate from the University of Benin, spent 33 years with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, retiring as Executive VP, Upstream. Engineer Mohammed, a Chemical Engineering graduate from Ahmadu Bello University, previously served as Managing Director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company.
The Senate is expected to consider the nominations in the coming days, while investigations into the former NMDPRA chief continue.
Tinubu Sends New Nominees for Petroleum Regulatory Agencies to Senate Amid Controversy
