President Bola Tinubu has forwarded two letters to the Senate, seeking confirmation for 21 nominees to the boards of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). The nominations are part of the president’s efforts to fill key positions in the country’s oil and gas regulatory bodies.
In the first letter, Senator Magnus Abe was nominated as the chair of the NUPRC board. Abe, a former senator and NNPC board member, will be joined by Engineer Paul Yaro Jezhi and Sunday Adebayo Babalola as non-executive commissioners. The president also nominated several executive commissioners, including Muhammed Sabo Lamido, Edu Inyang, and Justin Ezeala, who will oversee various aspects of the commission’s operations.
In his second letter, President Tinubu nominated Adegbite Ebiowei Adeniji, a seasoned energy expert, as chairman of the NMDPRA board. Adeniji has over 30 years of experience in energy and natural resources issues and has worked with the World Bank on petroleum sector reform. He will be joined by Chief Kenneth Kobani and Asabe Ahmed as non-executive members, as well as several executive directors, including Abiodun Adeniji and Francis Ogaree.
The nominations come after the recent appointment of Chief Executive Officers for the two regulatory agencies. The Senate has already confirmed Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan as the CEO of the NUPRC and Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as the CEO of NMDPRA. President Tinubu has urged the Senate to approve the nominees expeditiously, emphasizing the need for professional and efficient regulation of the oil and gas sectors.
The appointments are significant, as they will play a crucial role in shaping the country’s energy policy and regulating the oil and gas industries. The nominees are expected to bring their expertise and experience to bear in their respective roles, ensuring that the sector operates efficiently and effectively. With the nominations, President Tinubu has taken a key step towards strengthening the regulatory framework of the oil and gas sector, which is critical to the country’s economic growth and development.
