Petroleum Regulation: Tinubu Shuffles NMDPRA Board, Appoints New Directors
ABUJA, NIGERIA — President Bola Tinubu has nominated six executive directors for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The formal request was contained in an official letter forwarded to the Nigerian Senate for screening and confirmation.
The strategic leadership update split the executive positions evenly, balancing institutional memory with fresh sector knowledge. The list features three returning executive directors and three new nominees who will each serve a five-year term upon final Senate confirmation.
According to a Statehouse press release issued on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the nominations are designed to actively improve regulatory oversight and ensure continuity within Nigeria’s critical energy infrastructure.
Among the returning directors are Mr. Abiodun Adeniji, who will serve as Executive Director, Finance and Accounts; Mr. Ogbugo Kalu Ukoha, as the Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage, and Retailing Infrastructure, and Dr. Mustapha Lamorde, who has been appointed as Executive Director, Health, Safety, Environment, and Community.
To inject new administrative and technical capabilities into the authority, the newly proposed executive directors include Mr. Mobolaji Tajudeen Musa as Executive Director, Hydrocarbon Processing Plants, Installations, and Transportation Infrastructure; Ms. Ogechukwu Modie as Executive Director, Economic Regulations and Strategic Planning and Mr. Said Abutalib as Executive Director, Corporate Services and Administration.
Institutional Continuity and Legal Framework
President Tinubu has strongly urged federal lawmakers to consider the names expeditiously. Swift approvals will help the NMDPRA maintain its oversight momentum across the country’s midstream and downstream oil businesses.
In a parallel development, the President approved the selection of Mrs. Jumoke Gafar to serve as Secretary to the Board/Authority and Legal Adviser. Her full assumption of office remains subject to the completion of statutory compliance protocols mandated under Section 46 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The board modifications follow a series of foundational updates to the agency’s executive team, which started when President Tinubu appointed Engr. Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as Chief Executive of the NMDPRA earlier this year.
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