- Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan nominated as Chief Executive of the NUPRC
- Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed listed as Chief Executive of the NMDPRA
Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory landscape is set for another leadership transition following the resignation of Engineer Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally written to the Senate, seeking confirmation of new nominees to head the two agencies established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA)—a law designed to reset governance, transparency and efficiency across Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
The resignations mark the end of a chapter that began in 2021, when both Ahmed and Komolafe were appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari to lead the newly created regulators during the early and often complex implementation phase of the PIA.
Industry watchers note that the leadership changes come at a time of heightened pressure on Nigeria’s energy sector—ranging from fuel supply disruptions and pricing reforms in the downstream segment to declining upstream investment, production challenges, and the need to restore investor confidence. The Tinubu administration has repeatedly signalled its intention to recalibrate institutions critical to economic recovery, energy security and fiscal stability.
To fill the vacancies, President Tinubu has nominated Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as Chief Executive of the NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, requesting the Senate’s expedited consideration.
Eyesan brings more than three decades of experience from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and its subsidiaries. A graduate of Economics from the University of Benin, she spent nearly 33 years in the national oil company, retiring as Executive Vice President, Upstream between 2023 and 2024. She previously served as Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy from 2019 to 2023, where she played a key role in upstream investment planning and strategic alignment.
Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, a chemical engineer and seasoned industry executive, was born in 1957 in Gombe State and graduated from Ahmadu Bello University in 1981. He was announced the same day as an Independent Non-Executive Director at Seplat Energy, underscoring his continued relevance in Nigeria’s energy space.
His career includes stints as Managing Director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company, as well as board leadership roles at the West African Gas Pipeline Company, Nigeria LNG subsidiaries, and NNPC Retail.
Mohammed also served as Group Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, Gas & Power, where he provided strategic oversight for major national gas initiatives. His contributions span policy frameworks such as the Gas Masterplan, Gas Network Code, and inputs into the Petroleum Industry Act itself.
He was closely involved in the delivery of critical infrastructure projects, including the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline Expansion, the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline, and Nigeria LNG Train projects—assets central to Nigeria’s gas-to-power and energy transition ambitions.
If confirmed by the Senate, the new appointments are expected to play a defining role in stabilising regulation, accelerating reform outcomes, and repositioning Nigeria’s petroleum sector amid global energy transition pressures and domestic economic expectations.
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