Nigeria’s oil and gas sector has witnessed a major leadership change following the resignation of the chief executives of its two key regulatory agencies.
Newsonspot reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded the names of two seasoned industry professionals to the Senate for confirmation as new heads of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The nominations follow the exit of Engineer Farouk Ahmed, former Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, and Gbenga Komolafe, who led the NUPRC. Both agencies were created in 2021 under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) to strengthen regulation and governance in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
To replace them, the President nominated Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as Chief Executive Officer of the NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as Chief Executive Officer of the NMDPRA, urging the Senate to approve the appointments without delay.
Eyesan brings nearly 33 years of experience from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC). A graduate of Economics from the University of Benin, she retired as Executive Vice President, Upstream, in 2024. She previously served as Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy, and is widely regarded for her deep knowledge of upstream operations and sector planning.
Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, a chemical engineer and industry veteran, graduated from Ahmadu Bello University in 1981. Born in Gombe State in 1957, he has held several top positions across Nigeria’s oil and gas value chain. His past roles include Managing Director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company.
Mohammed has also served as Group Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer for Gas and Power at NNPC, where he provided leadership for major gas infrastructure projects and policy frameworks, including the Gas Masterplan and Gas Network Code. He played key roles in projects such as the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline Expansion, the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline, and Nigeria LNG developments. He was recently announced as an independent non-executive director at Seplat Energy.
The leadership changes come at a sensitive time for the oil sector, amid ongoing debates over fuel pricing, refinery performance, and recent allegations of regulatory irregularities involving the Dangote Refinery. Industry observers believe the new appointments are aimed at restoring stability, improving regulatory efficiency, and boosting investor confidence.
With their combined experience in upstream production, refining, gas infrastructure, and policy development, the new nominees are expected to play a critical role in driving the objectives of the Petroleum Industry Act and strengthening Nigeria’s energy sector going forward.
