Breaking: Oil sector earthquake: Farouk faces corruption storm as Komolafe resigns, Tinubu swings axe, names new regulators

By Ademola Adekusibe
17th December 2025

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded the names of two nominees to the Senate for confirmation as new chief executives of Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory agencies.

In a letter to the Senate, the President requested expedited approval of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

The nominations come amid ongoing corruption allegations against Engineer Farouk Ahmed, the incumbent CEO of the NMDPRA, while Engineer Gbenga Komolafe, CEO of the NUPRC, has stepped aside following the President’s decision to appoint successors.

President Tinubu’s request signals a leadership transition at the two key regulatory bodies established under the Petroleum Industry Act, with the Senate expected to screen and confirm the nominees in the coming days.

If confirmed, the new appointees will assume responsibility for regulating Nigeria’s upstream, midstream, and downstream petroleum sectors at a time of heightened public scrutiny and reform expectations.