Tinubu appoints new heads for NUPRC and NMDPRA

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday nominated new chief executives for the NMDPRA and NUPRC,  following the resignation of Farouk Ahmed (NMDPRA) and Gbenga Komolafe (NUPRC), both of whom were key figures in the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) since 2021.
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Farouk Ahmed, the outgoing head of the Midstream and Downstream authority, had been embroiled in a public and legal war with Aliko Dangote. Just days prior to his resignation, Dangote filed a petition with the ICPC alleging that Ahmed spent over $7 million on elite Swiss schooling for his children, wealth Dangote claims is inconsistent with the salary of a public servant.
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President Tinubu has requested the confirmation of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as CEO of the NUPRC (Upstream) and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of the NMDPRA (Midstream/Downstream).
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‎Eyesan spent 33 years at the NNPC, retiring as Executive VP of Upstream in 2024. Mohammed is a chemical engineer with nearly 40 years of experience, including stints as MD of the Kaduna Refinery and the Nigerian Gas Company.
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Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga stated that the nominations are intended to ensure continuity and stability. The presidency believes that by bringing in retired veterans with deep operational knowledge, the regulatory bodies can move past recent public brickbats.
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