Farouk Ahmed and Gbenga Komolafe Resign, Tinubu Nominates Successors for Key Oil Agencies.
Nigeria’s petroleum sector has seen a sudden shake-up as Farouk Ahmed, Chief of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and Gbenga Komolafe, head of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), stepped down from their roles. The resignations, announced on Wednesday, mark the end of their tenures, which began in 2021 under former President Buhari. President Bola Tinubu has wasted no time, nominating Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan for NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed for NMDPRA, and has sent their names to the Senate for approval. Eyesan, a veteran with decades of experience in the oil sector, most recently retired as Executive Vice President, Upstream at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company. Mohammed, a chemical engineer from Gombe, brings experience from leadership roles across refining, gas, and pipelines, including stints with Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and Nigerian Gas Company. The backdrop of these resignations includes recent controversies involving Ahmed, with allegations of economic sabotage and other misconduct, which he has denied. Despite the drama, Tinubu’s swift nominations aim to ensure stability in agencies critical to managing Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
| 2025-12-17 19:31:27