President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally requested the Senate to confirm new chief executives for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), following the resignation of the current heads of the agencies.
The President’s request was conveyed in separate letters addressed to the Senate on Wednesday.
According to the letters, Farouk Ahmed has resigned as Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, while Gbenga Komolafe has stepped down as Chief Executive of the NUPRC.
Both officials were appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari after the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which restructured Nigeria’s oil and gas regulatory framework.
The development was announced in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who confirmed that the President is seeking the National Assembly’s approval to appoint new leadership for the agencies in line with the provisions of the law.
The Senate is expected to consider the President’s request and commence the confirmation process in the coming days.
