Engineer Farouk Ahmed has resigned as Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) following his highly publicised dispute with industrialist Aliko Dangote. Gbenga Komolafe has also stepped down from his position as Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
The development was announced in a State House press release dated December 17, 2025, signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Farouk Ahmed’s resignation comes amid sustained public criticism linked to disagreements over petroleum regulation and domestic refining, which placed the NMDPRA leadership under intense scrutiny. The controversy had dominated national discourse in recent weeks, raising questions about regulatory practices in the downstream sector.
Following the resignations, President Tinubu formally wrote to the Senate requesting the swift confirmation of new chief executives for both regulatory agencies, which were established under the Petroleum Industry Act.
Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan was nominated as the new Chief Executive Officer of the NUPRC. A graduate of Economics from the University of Benin, Eyesan built a nearly 33-year career at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company and its subsidiaries. She retired as Executive Vice President, Upstream, in 2024, and previously served as Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy between 2019 and 2023.
Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed was nominated to lead the NMDPRA. Born in 1957 in Gombe State, he graduated from Ahmadu Bello University in 1981 with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He was also announced the same day as an independent non-executive director at Seplat Energy.
Mohammed’s career spans top leadership roles, including Managing Director of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company. He has chaired the boards of the West African Gas Pipeline Company, Nigeria LNG subsidiaries and NNPC Retail, and served as Group Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Gas and Power Directorate.
According to the statement, he played key roles in shaping major gas policies and delivering landmark projects such as the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline Expansion, the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano Gas Pipeline and Nigeria LNG Train developments.
The nominees now await confirmation by the Senate.
