Two senior officials in Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory architecture have resigned from their posts, prompting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to move swiftly to fill the leadership vacuum in critical energy institutions. Engineer Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), formally stepped down from their roles on 17 December 2025.
The resignations, announced in a statement from the Presidency signed by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga, follow intensified public scrutiny and allegations of corruption surrounding the leadership of the agencies created under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). Farouk Ahmed in particular had been at the centre of controversy after billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote submitted a petition accusing him of abuse of office and unlawful enrichment, including allegations related to disproportionate personal expenditures inconsistent with documented income.
President Tinubu has written to the Senate seeking expedited confirmation of his nominees to succeed the departing officials. Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan has been proposed as the new CEO of the NUPRC, bringing extensive experience from nearly 33 years at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiaries. Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed is the nominee for CEO of the NMDPRA, with a long career in Nigeria’s energy sector, including leadership roles at major national gas and refinery assets as well as recent service as an independent non-executive director at Seplat Energy.
The shake-up comes at a sensitive moment for Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, which remains a cornerstone of the national economy and a focus for investors and policymakers alike. By nominating seasoned professionals for the regulatory posts, the Tinubu administration aims to restore confidence, strengthen governance and ensure continuity in oversight of the sector’s upstream and downstream functions.
