Breaking: Farouk Ahmed Resigns as NMDPRA Boss Amid Dangote Allegations, Tinubu Takes Key Action

• Engineer Farouk Ahmed has stepped down following widely publicised accusations made against him by Aliko Dangote
• Dangote, owner of Dangote Petroleum Refinery, raised allegations regarding tuition payments for the children of the now-former NMDPRA CEO
• To fill the position, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has written to the Senate, requesting the expedited confirmation of a Gombe-born expert as the new NMDPRA boss

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering public affairs and governance in Nigeria and Africa.

FCT, Abuja - President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve the nominations of two new chief executives for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

According to a statement on Wednesday evening, December 17, by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, the requests followed the resignation of Engr. Farouk Ahmed of the NMDPRA and Gbenga Komolafe of the NUPRC.

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Legit.ng reports that both officials were appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari to lead the two regulatory agencies created by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

To fill these positions, President Tinubu has now written to the Godswill Akpabio-led Senate, requesting expedited confirmation of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as CEO of NUPRC and Engr. Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of NMDPRA.

The presidency said:

"The two nominees are seasoned professionals in the oil and gas industry."

Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan's profile

Eyesan, a graduate of Economics from the University of Benin (UNIBEN), spent nearly 33 years with the NNPC and its subsidiaries.

She retired as Executive Vice President, Upstream (2023–2024), and previously served as Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy at NNPC from 2019 to 2023.

Tinubu unveils Farouk Ahmed's successor

Engr. Saidu Aliyu Mohammed's profile

Engr. Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, born in 1957 in Gombe, graduated from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, in 1981 with a Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering.

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He is an independent non-executive director at Seplat Energy.

Mohammed's prior roles include Managing Director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and Nigerian Gas Company, as well as Chair of the boards of West African Gas Pipeline Company, Nigeria LNG subsidiaries, and NNPC Retail. He also served as Group Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer, Gas and Power Directorate, where he provided strategic leadership for major gas projects and policy frameworks, including the Gas Masterplan, Gas Network Code, and contributions to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

The Nigerian presidency said Engr. Mohammed played a pivotal role in delivering key projects such as the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline Expansion, the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline, and Nigeria LNG Train.

Dangote's allegation against Farouk Ahmed

Legit.ng reports that allegations have been circulating online from billionaire entrepreneur Aliko Dangote, claiming that Engr. Ahmed paid approximately five million dollars in secondary school tuition fees for his children.

Recall that on Sunday, December 14, the billionaire businessman accused Ahmed of economic sabotage, which he said is undermining domestic refining in Nigeria.

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Speaking at a press conference at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, he accused the leadership of the NMDPRA of colluding with international traders and oil importers to frustrate local refining through the continued issuance of import licences for petroleum products.

Dangote claimed that Ahmed was living beyond his legitimate means, claiming that four of his children attend secondary schools in Switzerland at costs running into several million dollars.

Dangote speaks on Trump refinery claim

Legit.ng earlier reported that Dangote debunked viral claims suggesting that United States president Donald Trump is unhappy with the operations of the Dangote Refinery in Lagos, Nigeria.

The billionaire industrialist described the narrative as baseless, insisting that facts on the ground tell a very different story.

Dangote said the speculation circulating on social media does not align with commercial realities, noting that the United States remains one of the refinery’s key crude oil suppliers.

Source: Legit.ng