Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday nominated new chief executives for the country’s two key oil and gas regulatory agencies following the resignation of their heads, the presidency said.
Tinubu asked the Senate to confirm Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as chief executive officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as chief executive officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve the nominations of two new chief executives for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission,” a presidential statement said.
The nominations follow the departure of Gbenga Komolafe from the NUPRC and Farouk Ahmed from the NMDPRA. Both officials were appointed in 2021 by former president Muhammadu Buhari under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). No reasons were given for their resignations.
Eyesan is a veteran of the Nigerian energy sector with nearly 33 years at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiaries. He previously served as executive vice president for upstream operations from 2023 to 2024 and as group general manager for corporate planning and strategy between 2019 and 2023, according to the presidency.
Mohammed, a chemical engineer born in 1957, has held senior roles including managing director of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company, and chaired boards of several NNPC-related entities.
The presidency cited Mohammed’s involvement in major gas infrastructure projects such as the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline Expansion, the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano Gas Pipeline, and Nigeria LNG, noting his role in shaping gas policy frameworks, including the PIA.
Both nominees are expected to undergo Senate screening and confirmation before assuming office.
