Tinubu Requests Senate Approval For New Leaders Following Resignations Of NUPRC And NMDPRA Chiefs

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has requested the Senate to confirm new leadership for two of Nigeria’s key petroleum regulatory agencies following the resignation of their current executives, in a move that coincides with rising tension in the downstream petroleum sector.

In separate letters sent to the Senate on Wednesday, the President sought approval for new chief executives for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). Engr. Farouk Ahmed and Gbenga Komolafe, who were appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari after the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act, stepped down as CEOs of NMDPRA and NUPRC respectively.

The resignations were confirmed in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Following the announcement, Ahmed was seen at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday evening, entering the President’s office around 5:30 pm and leaving less than 25 minutes later. Details of any meeting remain unclear.

Ahmed’s departure follows a public dispute with industrialist Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote Cement and Dangote Industries Limited, over Nigeria’s downstream petroleum regulation and the nation’s refining policy. Dangote had accused NMDPRA under Ahmed of economic sabotage, claiming the continued issuance of import licenses for petroleum products undermined local refining and favored international traders and importers.

The dispute intensified when Dangote alleged that Ahmed lived beyond his legitimate means, highlighting the costs of sending four of his children to secondary schools in Switzerland, reportedly amounting to millions of dollars, and raising questions about potential conflicts of interest in regulatory oversight. Dangote further alleged that about $5 million was spent on secondary education over six years, with an additional $2 million on tertiary education, including $210,000 for a Harvard MBA programme in 2025.

Dangote escalated the matter by submitting a petition through his lawyer, Senior Advocate Ogwu Onoja, to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), requesting Ahmed’s arrest, investigation, and prosecution over the alleged misappropriation of public funds. The petition reportedly includes detailed financial figures, children’s names, and schools attended.

As of the time of reporting, neither the Presidency nor the ICPC has responded publicly to the allegations.