President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded the names of two nominees to the Senate for confirmation as chief executives of Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory agencies, following the resignation of Engineer Farouk Ahmed and Mr Gbenga Komolafe.
The President nominated Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
While the Presidency did not state the reasons for the resignations, Ahmed’s exit comes amid recent public allegations by Dangote Group President, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who questioned the former NMDPRA boss over alleged multi million dollar foreign school fees for his children and called for a transparent investigation.
Ahmed had previously dismissed similar claims as a smear campaign, but the renewed controversy intensified public scrutiny of the downstream petroleum regulator at a sensitive time for the sector.
Analysts say the leadership changes reflect President Tinubu’s resolve to strengthen regulatory credibility and restore investor confidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry as reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act continue.
The Senate is expected to consider the nominations in the coming days.
