By Ajibola Olaide, JKNewsMedia Reporters
PRESIDENT BOLA Tinubu has requested the Senate’s approval for two new chief executives to lead Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory bodies following the resignations of Engineer Farouk Ahmed and Gbenga Komolafe.
Both officials resigned on Wednesday from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) respectively, agencies established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Ahmed and Komolafe were appointed in 2021 by former President Buhari to manage the regulatory authorities.
To fill the vacancies, President Tinubu has nominated Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan for NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed for NMDPRA, urging the Senate to confirm the appointments without delay.
Eyesan brings nearly 33 years of experience at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiaries.
She retired in 2024 as Executive Vice President, Upstream, after serving from 2019 as Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy at NNPC. She holds a degree in Economics from the University of Benin.
Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, born in 1957 in Gombe, earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from Ahmadu Bello University in 1981. He was also appointed today as an independent non-executive director at Seplat Energy.
His career includes leadership roles as Managing Director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and Nigerian Gas Company. He has chaired boards of the West African Gas Pipeline Company, Nigeria LNG subsidiaries, and NNPC Retail.
Mohammed also served as Group Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Gas & Power Directorate, overseeing strategic leadership for major gas projects and policy frameworks.
His work encompassed the Gas Masterplan, Gas Network Code, and contributions to the Petroleum Industry Act.
He has been instrumental in delivering projects such as the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline Expansion, the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano Gas Pipeline, and Nigeria LNG Train.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, confirmed the nominations in a statement issued on December 17, 2025.
He notes that the President’s request marks a key step in replenishing leadership at Nigeria’s principal petroleum regulators, following the planned exits of Ahmed and Komolafe saying that the Senate’s expedited confirmation will enable the new executives to assume their roles and continue oversight of the country’s upstream and midstream oil and gas sectors.
He also noted that the appointments reflect the administration’s focus on continuity and experienced leadership in critical energy infrastructure management.
Both Eyesan and Mohammed are expected to leverage their extensive industry expertise to guide the regulatory authorities.
