In a decisive move to bolster the regulatory framework of Nigeria’s vital energy sector, President Bola Tinubu has formally requested the Senate to confirm 21 nominees for the boards of the nation’s primary petroleum regulators.
The President’s request, conveyed through two separate letters and announced on Monday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, marks a significant step in the administration’s efforts to professionalise the management of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
For the NUPRC, President Tinubu has nominated Senator Magnus Abe to serve as the Board Chairman. Senator Abe, a seasoned political figure who represented Rivers South East for two terms, brings substantial industry experience as a former board member of the NNPC and the current chairman of the National Agency of the Great Green Wall.
The proposed board features a blend of fresh appointments and seasoned veterans. Non-executive commissioner nominees include Mr Paul Yaro Jezhi, a former Trade Union leader, and Mr Sunday Adebayo Babalola, formerly a deputy director at the defunct Department of Petroleum Resources.
The executive arm of the NUPRC board includes:
- Muhammed Sabo Lamido (Finance)
- Mr Edu Inyang (Exploration and Acreage)
- Justin Ezeala (Economic Regulation and Strategic Planning)
- Henry Darlington Oki (Development and Production)
- Indabawa Bashari Alka (Corporate Services and Administration)
- Mahmood Tijani (Health, Safety and Environment)
- Ms Olayemi Adeboyejo (Secretary and Legal Adviser)
In his second communication to the Senate, the President nominated Mr Adegbite Ebiowei Adeniji, a distinguished legal practitioner with over three decades of experience in energy and natural resources, to chair the NMDPRA board. Mr Adeniji is well-regarded for his previous roles as a technical adviser to the Ministry of Petroleum and his contributions to the World Bank’s Oil & Gas Policy team.
Joining him as non-executive members are Chief Kenneth Kobani, a former Minister of State for Trade, and Mrs Asabe Ahmed.
The executive directorate of the NMDPRA is slated to include:
- Abiodun Adeniji (Finance)
- Francis Ogaree (Hydrocarbon)
- Oluwole Adama (Gas Infrastructure)
- Dr Mustapha Lamorde (Corporate Services and Administration)
- Mr Yahaya Nasamu Yinusa (Distribution Systems)
- Adeyemi Murtala Aminu (Corporate Services)
- Ms Modie Ogechukwu (Economic Regulation)
- Mr Olawale Dawodu (Board Secretary and Legal Adviser)
These nominations follow the recent appointments of Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan and Mr Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as the respective Chief Executive Officers of the NUPRC and NMDPRA.
In his charge to the nominees, President Tinubu emphasised the necessity of discharging their duties with the highest level of professional integrity. He urged the Senate to expedite the confirmation process to ensure the continued stability and growth of Nigeria’s oil and gas sectors under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) framework.