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By Oscar Okhifo
President Bola Tinubu has formally requested the Senate’s approval for the appointment of two new chief executives to lead Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory agencies following the resignations of Engineers Farouk Ahmed and Gbenga Komolafe.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga confirmed the nominations in a statement released on Wednesday.
Ahmed, who headed the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and Komolafe, the chief of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), were appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari. Both were among the pioneering leaders of the regulatory agencies established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The resignation of Farouk Ahmed comes amid public allegations of financial impropriety.
Recall that billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote, recently submitted a petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) accusing Ahmed of misusing public funds, including expenditures allegedly made on overseas education for his children. Ahmed has denied the allegations, describing them as “wild and spurious.”
Commenting on the controversy, journalist and public affairs commentator Mojeed Dahiru appeared on the “Hardfacts” radio programme on 95.1 Nigeria Info, questioning Dangote’s motives.
Dahiru asked whether Dangote truly wanted a regulator to “stamp his penchant for monopoly” and warned of the danger in ceding the energy needs of an entire country to one individual.
He also challenged the allegations against Ahmed, pointing out that even the eldest of Ahmed’s children completed secondary education at a private Secondary School in Kuje, Abuja, not in Switzerland, and that his youngest child finished secondary school about 12 years ago. He described Engr. Farouk as a grandfather.
Dahiru expressed confidence that the claims would likely fall flat under a serious, unbiased investigation.
Legal analysts note that Farouk Ahmed’s resignation does not halt the investigation, as the ICPC and other authorities can continue probing alleged misconduct even after a public official leaves office.
However, stepping down may remove any perceived conflict of interest, allowing a smoother transition for the incoming CEO while preserving the integrity of ongoing inquiries.
Now that Ahmed has resigned, it remains to be seen whether he will face Dangote squarely to clear his name.
In a letter to the Senate, President Tinubu proposed Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as CEO of NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of NMDPRA, urging lawmakers to expedite their confirmation.
Eyesan, an Economics graduate from the University of Benin, brings nearly 33 years of experience at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiaries.
She retired as Executive Vice President, Upstream (2023–2024), having previously served as Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy at NNPC between 2019 and 2023.
Engineer Mohammed, born in 1957 in Gombe and a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University with a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering, has held prominent roles across Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
His experience includes managing Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company, as well as chairing the boards of West African Gas Pipeline Company, Nigeria LNG subsidiaries, and NNPC Retail. He also served as Group Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer, Gas & Power Directorate, where he provided strategic leadership for major projects, including the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline Expansion, the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline, and Nigeria LNG Train.
Mohammed was also recently announced as an independent non-executive director at Seplat Energy, further cementing his influence in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
Both nominees are regarded as seasoned professionals whose leadership is expected to sustain ongoing reforms and drive the development of the country’s oil and gas industry.