Former Rivers South‑East Senator Magnus Ngei Abe has been confirmed by the Nigerian Senate as Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), placing the seasoned lawmaker in charge of the country’s key oil and gas regulatory body.
Abe’s appointment was approved on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, alongside Sunday Adebayo Babalola and Paul Yaro Jezhi, who were named non-executive commissioners, completing the slate of nominees submitted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
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The confirmations follow Abe’s screening by the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) on Monday, March 16, 2026, and the resignation of the commission’s former Executive Chairman, Gbenga Komolafe, who had led the NUPRC since its creation under the Petroleum Industry Act in 2021.
Abe, a lawyer and two-term senator, brings extensive experience in governance and policy, having served in national leadership roles and on boards within the oil and gas sector.
He will oversee upstream petroleum operations, enforce regulatory compliance, and guide strategic policy implementation at a time when Nigeria aims to boost oil production, attract investment, and strengthen sector governance.