Oil sector

New chiefs nominated for Nigeria’s oil regulatory bodies

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to confirm new leaders for Nigeria’s two key petroleum regulatory agencies following the resignations of their previous heads.

The President nominated Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

This move comes after Engineers Farouk Ahmed and Gbenga Komolafe, who were appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2021, stepped down from their posts at the NMDPRA and NUPRC respectively.

The nominees bring extensive industry experience. Eyesan, an Economics graduate from the University of Benin, had a 33-year career at the NNPC, culminating in the role of Executive Vice President, Upstream.

Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, a Chemical Engineering graduate from Ahmadu Bello University, has held several high-profile positions, including Managing Director of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company.

He was also pivotal in major gas infrastructure projects like the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline.