President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to urgently confirm two new chief executives for Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory agencies, following the resignation of their former heads — a move expected to calm uncertainty for operators, including SMEs that rely on clear rules in the oil and gas value chain.
The affected agencies are the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), both central to licensing, investment approvals and market supervision under the Petroleum Industry Act.
Mr. Farouk Ahmed (NMDPRA) and Mr. Gbenga Komolafe (NUPRC), who were appointed in 2021, stepped down recently, prompting concerns about continuity in regulatory oversight, especially for smaller operators in gas distribution, modular refining and oil-service supply chains.
In separate letters to lawmakers, Tinubu nominated Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as the new Chief Executive of NUPRC and Mr. Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as the new Chief Executive of NMDPRA, urging the Senate to act quickly to “ensure continuity and stability” across the regulatory framework.
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Eyesan, a petroleum economist with 33 years of experience at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, previously served as Executive Vice President (Upstream) and was involved in corporate planning and strategic reforms. Industry analysts say her nomination could help unlock delayed upstream decisions that affect oil-service SMEs, asset bidders and marginal-field partnerships.
Mohammed, a veteran Chemical Engineer and former Managing Director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and Nigerian Gas Company, has held board roles across gas, pipeline and retail businesses. His background in gas commercialisation, policy framework and pipeline delivery — including the Gas Masterplan — is seen as relevant to small-scale gas distributors and power-focused SMEs.
Market players say swift confirmation could reduce uncertainty around approvals, regulatory fees and compliance processes that affect financing and contracting opportunities for smaller firms.
The nomination details were released in a statement by the President’s spokesperson, Mr. Bayo Onanuga.
