NMDPRA’s Farouk Ahmed, NUPRC’s Komolafe resign

• President Tinubu nominates successors

THE embattled Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority NMDPRA Engr. Farouk Ahmed and his counterpart in the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, Gbenga Komolafe, have resigned.

Already, President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve the nominations of two new chief executives for the NMDPRA and the NUPRC.

A statement by the presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, explained that the President’s requests followed the resignation of the duo.
Both officials were appointed in 2021 by former President Buhari to lead the two regulatory agencies created by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

To fill these positions, President Tinubu has written to the Senate, requesting expedited confirmation of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as CEO of NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of NMDPRA.

The two nominees are seasoned professionals in the oil and gas industry.

Eyesan, a graduate of Economics from the University of Benin, spent nearly 33 years with the NNPC and its subsidiaries. She retired as Executive Vice President, Upstream (2023–2024), and previously served as Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy at NNPC from 2019 to 2023.

Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, born in 1957 in Gombe, graduated from Ahmadu Bello University in 1981 with a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering. He was announced today as an independent non-executive director at Seplat Energy.

His prior roles include Managing Director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and Nigerian Gas Company, as well as Chair of the boards of West African Gas Pipeline Company, Nigeria LNG subsidiaries and NNPC Retail.

He also served as Group Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer, Gas & Power Directorate, where he provided strategic leadership for major gas projects and policy frameworks, including the Gas Masterplan, Gas Network Code, and contributions to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

Engineer Mohammed played a pivotal role in delivering key projects such as the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline Expansion, the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline, and Nigeria LNG Train.

• Above advert placement contains allegations against the erstwhile NMDPRA Chief Executive, Farouk Ahmed

Recall that on Monday, the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals accused the NMDPRA led by Farouk Ahmed of undermining its refinery.

The President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, also accused the regulating agency of economic sabotage and urged the government to probe its activities and also probe NMDPRA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Farouk Ahmed.

He accused NMDPRA leadership of colluding with international traders and oil importers to frustrate local refining through the continued issuance of import licences for petroleum products.

Alleging that Ahmed had been living above his means, Dangote said the bills being picked by the NMDPRA boss raised serious questions about potential conflicts of interest and the integrity of regulatory oversight in the downstream petroleum sector.

Dangote said: “I am not calling for his removal, but for a proper investigation. He should be required to account for his actions and demonstrate that he has not compromised his position to the detriment of Nigerians. What is happening amounts to economic sabotage.”
The business mogul said: “The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), or any other body deemed appropriate by the government, can investigate him.