President Tinubu Nominates Magnus Abe as NUPRC Chairman, Seeks Senate Confirmation for 21 Oil and Gas Board Members

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has submitted two letters to the Senate seeking confirmation of 21 nominees for boards of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

For the NUPRC, former senator Magnus Abe is nominated as chairman. Other nominees include seven executive commissioners covering finance, exploration, production, and corporate services, along with non-executive commissioners and a secretary/legal adviser. Some members were previously appointed under Presidents Buhari and Tinubu, while others are new nominations.

For the NMDPRA, Adegbite Ebiowei Adeniji, a lawyer with over 30 years in energy and natural resources, is nominated as chairman. The board also includes executive and non-executive members with expertise in finance, hydrocarbon, midstream and downstream infrastructure, and corporate administration.

The Senate has been urged to expedite confirmation following recent CEO confirmations for both agencies. President Tinubu emphasized that all appointees must perform their regulatory duties professionally to strengthen oversight of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

PRESIDENT TINUBU NOMINATES BOARD MEMBERS FOR NMDPRA, NUPRC, SEEKS SENATE CONFIRMATION

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has written two letters to the Senate, seeking confirmation of 21 nominees for the boards of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

A statement by Bayo Onanuga, special Adviser to the President, Information & Strategy, indicates that in the first letter, President Tinubu nominated Senator Magnus Abe to serve as the NUPRC board chair. Abe, who represented Rivers South East in the Senate for two terms, is a former NNPC board member and current chairman of the National Agency of the Great Green Wall.

Other nominees for the NUPRC board are Engineer Paul Yaro Jezhi, a former Trade Union Congress chairman in Kaduna, and Mr Sunday Adebayo Babalola, a former deputy director of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), which was abolished by the PIA in 2021. Both men will serve as non-executive commissioners.

President Tinubu also nominated executive commissioners to the board.

They are: Muhammed Sabo Lamido, executive commissioner for finance; Mr Edu Inyang, executive commissioner for Exploration and Acreage; Justin Ezeala, executive commissioner for economic regulation and strategic planning; and Henry Darlington Oki, executive commissioner for Development and Production. Others are Indabawa Bashari Alka, executive commissioner for corporate services and administration; Mahmood Tijani, executive commissioner for health, safety and environment; and Ms Olayemi Adeboyejo, as secretary and legal adviser.

Former President Buhari appointed Lamido and Adeboyejo in 2022, while President Tinubu appointed Alka in 2023. Inyang, Ezeala, the former managing director of Nigerian Gas Marketing Limited, Mahmood Tijani, Babalola and Jezhi are new appointees of President Tinubu.

In his second letter to the Senate, President Tinubu nominated Mr Adegbite Ebiowei Adeniji, a lawyer, as chairman of the NMDPRA board. Adeniji has over 30 years of experience in energy and natural resources issues. He was a special technical adviser to the Minister of State for Petroleum on upstream and gas until 2018. He was a member of the Oil & Gas Policy team at the World Bank, which advised the Government of Nigeria on the reform and restructuring of the petroleum sector, including the development of the Strategic Gas Plan for Nigeria. He is currently the managing partner at ENR Advisory.

President Tinubu also nominated Chief Kenneth Kobani and Mrs Asabe Ahmed as non-executive members. Kobani was a former minister of state for trade under President Jonathan and secretary to the government of Rivers State, under Nyesom Wike.

Also nominated for confirmation are Abiodun Adeniji, executive director of finance; Francis Ogaree, executive director of hydrocarbon; Oluwole Adama, executive director of midstream and Downstream gas infrastructure; and Dr Mustapha Lamorde, executive director of Corporate Services and Administration. President Tinubu appointed Adama in 2024, while late President Buhari appointed Lamorde and Adeniji in 2021 and Ogaree in 2022

Other members of the NMDPRA board, as proposed by President Tinubu, are Mr Yahaya Nasamu Yinusa, executive director, distribution systems; Adeyemi Murtala Aminu, executive director, corporate services; Ms Modie Ogechukwu, executive director, economic regulation and strategic planning; and Barrister Olawale Dawodu, as board secretary and legal adviser. Dawodu is an industry player and was, at a time, the Financial Reporting Manager at Exxon Nigerian subsidiaries.

The President urged the Senate to approve the nominees expeditiously.

The requests followed the recent appointment of chief executive officers for the two regulatory agencies. The Senate confirmed Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of NMDPRA.

Mr President has charged all the appointees and nominees to discharge their duties and responsibilities professionally as regulators of the oil and gas sectors.

Tinubu Government Writes Off NNPC’s ₦5.5 Trillion and $1.4 Billion Pre-2025 Debts After FAAC Reconciliation

President Bola Tinubu has approved the clearance of long-standing debts owed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) to the Federation Account, wiping off about ₦5.5 trillion and $1.4 billion accumulated up to December 31, 2024. The decision followed a reconciliation exercise conducted by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and presented at the November 2025 Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting. According to the report, most of the disputed royalty and lifting-related obligations were removed from government records based on recommendations by a Stakeholder Alignment Committee. However, statutory liabilities incurred after January 2025 were excluded from the approval and remain subject to recovery and FAAC scrutiny, drawing a clear line between legacy debts and new obligations.

Integrity Shock as ICPC Scores NNPC Zero, Ranks National Oil Company Bottom Despite Fresh Profits and Reform Claims

Nigeria’s anti-corruption watchdog, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has rated the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) zero in its 2025 Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard, placing it last among 357 federal ministries, departments and agencies assessed nationwide. The report found that NNPCL failed across all four integrity pillars—management culture, financial management, administrative systems, and anti-corruption mechanisms—classifying the national oil company as a high-risk institution. The outcome has intensified concerns over governance, transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, especially given NNPCL’s recent claims of improved profitability.
The ICPC report also revealed mixed results across petroleum regulators, with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) emerging as the top-performing agency, while the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NMDPRA) recorded weak compliance. Overall, only about 14% of federal agencies achieved substantial compliance, prompting the ICPC to signal tougher enforcement actions against persistently non-compliant institutions. Analysts warn that NNPCL’s zero score poses reputational risks and could undermine public trust and investor confidence unless urgent governance reforms are implemented.

Tinubu Handled Sacking of Ex-NMDPRA Boss Farouk Ahmed Carefully to Avoid Northern Backlash – Sources Reveal

President Bola Tinubu reportedly managed the removal of former NMDPRA CEO Farouk Ahmed with caution to avoid offending Nigeria’s northern political power base, sources have revealed. Ahmed, a scion of the Sokoto Caliphate, was said to have been asked to resign through a presidential aide rather than confronted directly. His exit came amid corruption allegations by billionaire Aliko Dangote, alongside the removal of NUPRC boss Gbenga Komolafe. New regulatory chiefs have since been confirmed by the Senate as investigations and political calculations continue to trail the shake-up in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

EXCLUSIVE: NMDPRA CEO Saidu Aliyu Mohammed Linked to Kaduna Refinery Collapse

Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, recently confirmed as CEO of the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), has been linked to the collapse of the Kaduna Refinery, sources say. The Senate confirmed his appointment following screenings by the Joint Committees on Petroleum. Mohammed previously served as Managing Director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and chaired boards of major NNPC subsidiaries. Industry insiders allege mismanagement under his leadership contributed to the refinery’s prolonged shutdown. Meanwhile, Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan was confirmed as CEO of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). The appointments follow the resignations of Farouk Ahmed and Gbenga Komalafe, amid corruption allegations, notably by billionaire Aliko Dangote against Ahmed. Dangote’s claims included diversion of public funds and extravagant personal spending. Observers note the new regulators’ appointment is welcomed by Dangote, potentially increasing his influence over Nigeria’s petroleum sector.

Senate Confirms Eyesan and Aliyu as CEOs of Nigeria’s Petroleum Regulators Amid Dangote’s Corruption Allegations

The Nigerian Senate has swiftly confirmed Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as CEO of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). The confirmation came within 24 hours of receiving President Bola Tinubu’s letter. The appointments follow the resignations of the former heads and coincide with billionaire Aliko Dangote’s petition against the former NMDPRA chief, Farouk Ahmed, accusing him of corruption, abuse of office, and illicit enrichment, including spending over $7 million on his children’s education abroad. The confirmations allow Eyesan and Aliyu to immediately assume office, overseeing licensing, regulation, and revenue in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.

NEWS FLASH

SENATE CONFIRMS CEOs OF NUPRC AND NMDPRA

Senate has confirmed the appointment of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as CEO of Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.

It also confirmed Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Agency.

The appointments confirmed at plenary was sequel to the recommendation of the Joint committees on Petroleum Upstream, Downstream and Gas.

President Tinubu appointed the Eyesan and Aliyu on Wednesday this week, to fill the vacancy created following the resignation of the erstwhile heads of the two Regulators.

The letter for the confirmation request from the President was transmitted to the senate on Thursday.

The confirmation process was expedited and done within 24 hours.

Senate Set to Confirm Tinubu’s Nominees for NMDPRA and NUPRC as Urgency Provisions of Petroleum Industry Act Are Invoked

The Nigerian Senate is expected to confirm President Bola Tinubu’s nominees for the leadership of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) following their screening by the Committee of the Whole. Engineer Saidu Muhammad was nominated to head the NMDPRA, while Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan was named as Chief Executive of the NUPRC, after the resignation of the agencies’ former heads. Tinubu urged expedited confirmation, citing the urgency provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act and warning against a leadership vacuum in Nigeria’s sensitive oil and gas regulatory sector. The nominations come amid heightened scrutiny of the petroleum regulators, including corruption allegations against the immediate past NMDPRA chief.

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointments of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as the CEO of NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as the CEO of Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

BREAKING: NMDPRA, NUPRC Bosses Resign; President Tinubu Nominates New Oil Regulators for Senate Confirmation Amid Dangote Corruption Allegations

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has submitted the names of new chief executives for Nigeria’s two key oil and gas regulatory agencies—the NUPRC and NMDPRA—to the Senate for expedited confirmation following the resignations of Gbenga Komolafe and Farouk Ahmed. The nominees are Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan for NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed for NMDPRA, both seasoned oil industry professionals. The announcement comes amid corruption allegations by Aliko Dangote against former NMDPRA boss Farouk Ahmed, accusing him of diverting public funds to finance his children’s education abroad and abusing his office for personal gain. The nominations are now pending Senate screening and confirmation.

BREAKING NEWS: The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has debunked claims that it is withholding the Frontier Exploration Fund (FEF) from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL).

This was contained in a statement signed by the commission’s Head of Media and Strategic Communication, Eniola Akinkuotu

Audit Reveals Massive Collapse in Nigeria’s Public Service as 30 MDAs Declared ‘Structurally Failing’

A new federal compliance audit has exposed a deep crisis in Nigeria’s public sector, revealing that 30 major Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are “structurally non-compliant and operationally failing.” The report, covering January–October 2025 and compiled by PEBEC, shows that over half of the institutions evaluated did not meet the minimum 50% Business Facilitation Act (BFA) compliance benchmark.

Only five agencies—including the Nigerian Content Development Board, NDLEA, Customs, NCC and NPA—recorded strong performances. Meanwhile, critical institutions like NIMC, NBS, NIPOST, SEC, NUPRC, NIMASA, and NEXIM Bank ranked at the bottom, scoring below 50%, with NIMC posting a shocking 12.7%.

The audit paints a grim picture of widespread governance failure marked by sluggish approvals, analog processes, opaque systems, missing service timelines, lack of digital integration, and zero accountability. Despite billions invested in digital transformation, essential services such as identity registration and passport processing remain chaotic, leaving citizens to bear the brunt of a collapsing public service infrastructure.

Nigerian Govt, PENGASSAN, Dangote Refinery reach truce.

The Federal Government, on Tuesday, brokered a truce between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, and the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Muhammad Maigari-Dingyadi, made this known in a statement on Wednesday at the end of a two-day conciliation meeting in Abuja.

The meeting, which held on Monday and Tuesday, brought together the National Security Adviser, Ministers of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, and State for Petroleum (Gas), alongside the DSS, NIA, NNPCL, NMDPRA, NUPRC and labour leaders.

Recall that the conciliation was convened after PENGASSAN directed its members to stop gas supply and withdraw services from the refinery.

PENGASSAN had alleged that the company terminated the employment of more than 800 of its members, which triggered the industrial action.

Meanwhile, Dangote Refinery explained that the disengagement of workers was due to an ongoing restructuring exercise in the company.

According to the communiqué, the meeting resolved that unionisation is a fundamental right of workers under Nigerian law and must be respected by the company.

Tax Reform Act takes effect, workers earning less than N800,000 annually, exempted from taxation.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Thursday June 26, signed the tax reform bills into law, exempting workers earning below N800,000 annually from taxation.

Fresh Angle International, can report that the Act, which changed the nomenclature of Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, to Nigeria Revenue Service, NRS, gives the NRS mandate to collect revenues previously handled by agencies such as the Nigeria Customs Service, NUPRC, NPA, and NIMASA.

Key highlights of the tax reform Act, include:

25% personal income tax applies only to individuals earning above ?50 million annually.

Small businesses owners are exempted from paying income tax.

Company income tax for medium and large companies will be reduced from 30% to 25% starting in 2026.

Value Added Tax (VAT) exemptions on essential goods and services consumed by the poor, including food items, medical services, pharmaceuticals, educational fees, and electricity.


VAT remains at 7.5%, and corporate income tax stays at 30%. NO INCREMENT!

Introduction of a Development Levy ranging from 4% to 2%, allocated to support the NELFUND, TETFund, NITDA, and NASENI.