President Bola Tinubu has removed Mr Saidu Mohammed as the Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) barely four months after his appointment.
Tinubu nominated Mr Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as the new Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, subject to Senate confirmation.
According to presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, the decision was taken “in the public interest” and in line with provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.
“The President has also approved the nomination of Mr Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as the new Chief Executive of the NMDPRA. The appointment is subject to Senate confirmation,” the statement said.
It added that the move is intended to strengthen regulatory effectiveness in the midstream and downstream petroleum sector under the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Pending Senate confirmation of the new nominee, the most senior official of the NMDPRA will oversee operations in an acting capacity.
The president thanked the outgoing NMDPRA boss for his service and wished him well in his future endeavours.
Umar, the newly nominated chief executive, was described as a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience across the energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors. He is said to have a track record in strategic leadership, operational transformation, and large-scale project delivery.
He is a graduate of Accounting from Bayero University and an alumnus of Harvard Business School.
On December 17, Tinubu had written to the Senate seeking confirmation of new heads for both the NMDPRA and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), following the resignation of the previous chief executives of both agencies.
At the time, Engineer Saidu Mohammed was nominated to lead the NMDPRA, while Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan was nominated for the NUPRC.
Mohammed, a chemical engineer with decades of experience in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, previously held senior roles including Managing Director of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company. He also served in leadership positions across several key NNPC subsidiaries and was involved in major national gas infrastructure projects.
