By Wellington Jopelo
The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, has resigned from office, marking a significant development in Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory landscape. His exit comes alongside the resignation of the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe.
Following the twin resignations, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally requested the Senate to confirm new chief executives to lead both regulatory agencies. The President’s request was conveyed through separate letters transmitted to the upper chamber on Wednesday.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who noted that the President had asked for an expedited confirmation process to ensure continuity in the regulation of Nigeria’s vital oil and gas sector.
According to the statement, President Tinubu nominated Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as the new Chief Executive Officer of the NUPRC, while Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed was named as Chief Executive Officer of the NMDPRA. Both nominees were described as seasoned professionals with extensive experience across the oil and gas value chain.
Eyesan, an economist and industry veteran, spent nearly 33 years with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and its subsidiaries. She retired in 2024 as Executive Vice President, Upstream, and previously served as Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy, roles that placed her at the heart of strategic decision-making within the national oil company.
Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, a chemical engineer by training, has held several strategic positions in the energy sector. He previously served as Managing Director of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company, and has also sat on multiple boards within the oil and gas industry. Most recently, he emerged as an independent non-executive director at Seplat Energy.
The two outgoing chief executives were appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari following the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act, which restructured Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory framework and led to the creation of the NMDPRA and NUPRC.
Farouk Ahmed’s resignation comes amid a high-profile dispute with Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, which attracted widespread public attention in December 2025. The controversy stemmed from allegations by Dangote that Ahmed and members of his family were living beyond their legitimate means.
Dangote had petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alleging abuse of office and corrupt enrichment, including claims that millions of dollars were spent on overseas education for Ahmed’s four children. The allegations ignited a national debate on regulatory accountability within Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
Ahmed, however, dismissed the accusations as “wild and spurious,” maintaining that he would rather submit himself to formal investigation by relevant authorities than engage in public exchanges. The dispute, which can be traced back to 2024 when Ahmed publicly criticised domestic refinery output, including operations at the Dangote Refinery, prompted intervention by the House of Representatives, which summoned both parties in a bid to prevent instability in the sector.
President Tinubu’s move to nominate new leadership for the two regulatory agencies signals a fresh phase in the administration’s efforts to strengthen governance, restore confidence, and ensure stability within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.