President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has replaced the leaders of two key petroleum agencies, including the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), following resignations linked to sector scrutiny.
In a letter to the Senate on December 17, 2025, Tinubu submitted new nominees for confirmation: Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan for the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed for the NMDPRA.
The moves came after Farouk Ahmed resigned as NMDPRA CEO and Gbenga Komolafe stepped down as NUPRC CEO.
The shake-up follows a high-profile dispute between industrialist Aliko Dangote and the outgoing NMDPRA chief.
Dangote filed a petition with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) accusing Ahmed of corruption and financial impropriety, including spending over $7 million on his children’s education abroad without a clear source of income.
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Ahmed dismissed the allegations as “wild and spurious,” pledging to address them only through formal investigation.
The changes are seen as part of the Tinubu administration’s effort to stabilize Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
Dangote’s Lagos refinery, one of Africa’s largest, has been at the center of debates on local refining capacity and regulatory oversight.
The House of Representatives has summoned both Dangote and Ahmed to provide details before joint committees, underscoring the seriousness of the dispute.