NMDPRA’s Farouk Ahmed, NUPRC’s Komolafe resign over Dangote allegations, Tinubu names successors

NMDPRA’s Farouk Ahmed, NUPRC’s Komolafe resign over Dangote allegations, Tinubu names successors

THE embattled Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority NMDPRA Engr. Farouk Ahmed and his counterpart in the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, Gbenga Komolafe, have resigned.

Ahmed was accused of economic sabotage and corruption by African richest man and owner of Dangote Refinery, Aliko Dangote.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has moved swiftly to overhaul the leadership of petroleum regulatory sector following the resignation of the heads of the NMDPRA NUPRC.

In a statement issued by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu confirmed that he has forwarded the names of two nominees to the Senate for expedited confirmation.

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The outgoing officials were appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan was nominated as Chief Executive of the NUPRC. A former Executive Vice President, Upstream, at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Eyesan spent nearly 33 years in the national oil company and previously served as Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy.

For the NMDPRA, Tinubu nominated Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, a veteran chemical engineer and former Group Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer, Gas and Power, at NNPC. Mohammed has also served as Managing Director of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company, and chaired several energy sector boards.

He played key roles in major gas infrastructure projects, including the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline Expansion and the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline.

 

NMDPRA’s Farouk Ahmed, NUPRC’s Komolafe resign over Dangote allegations, Tinubu names successors