The Senate on Friday confirmed Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
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The confirmation followed the adoption of a report by the Joint Senate Committees on Petroleum (Upstream, Downstream and Gas) after the screening of the nominees at plenary.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had forwarded the request for their confirmation to the upper legislative chamber on Thursday, barely 24 hours after announcing the nominations to fill vacancies created by the resignation of the immediate past heads of the two petroleum regulatory agencies.
The Senate concluded the screening and confirmation process within a day, reflecting a swift legislative response.
With their confirmation, Eyesan and Aliyu are expected to immediately assume office at their respective agencies, which are key institutions responsible for licensing, regulation and revenue oversight in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The leadership changes come against the backdrop of controversy surrounding the immediate past Chief Executive Officer of the NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, who recently resigned from office.
Ahmed had been accused by President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, of alleged corruption, abuse of office and illicit enrichment.
In a petition dated December 16 and addressed to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dangote called for Ahmed’s arrest, investigation and prosecution.
He alleged that the former regulator lived far beyond his legitimate earnings, claiming that over $7 million was spent on the education of Ahmed’s four children in Switzerland, with tuition fees allegedly paid upfront for six years.
Dangote further accused the former NMDPRA boss of diverting public funds for personal use and turning the regulatory agency into a tool for private interests.
As of the time of filing this report, neither Ahmed nor the ICPC had issued a public response to the allegations.
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