ABUJA, Dec 18 – Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has nominated new heads for the country’s upstream and downstream oil regulators, seeking to restore stability after the sudden resignation of both agency chiefs amid an escalating dispute involving Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.
Tinubu has asked the Senate to confirm Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as head of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as chief executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
The nominations follow the departures of Gbenga Komolafe and Farouk Ahmed, whose exits come against the backdrop of mounting tensions between regulators and Dangote’s 650,000 barrel per day Lagos refinery, Africa’s largest.
Dangote has accused Ahmed of enabling the continued importation of low priced fuel that undermines domestic refining capacity. On Wednesday, Dangote formally submitted a petition against Ahmed to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, alleging governance failures.
Komolafe had also clashed with Dangote over the enforcement of provisions in Nigeria’s petroleum law that require crude oil producers to prioritise supply to local refineries before exports. The dispute has intensified concerns around regulatory consistency at a time when Nigeria is seeking to attract investment and boost domestic fuel production.
The leadership shake-up comes at a sensitive moment for Africa’s largest oil producer, as policy clarity and supply security remain key concerns for investors following Dangote’s public allegations against sector regulators.
Analysts, however, downplayed the potential impact on investor confidence. Eyesan, Komolafe’s proposed successor, brings more than three decades of experience at the state owned oil firm NNPC, including leadership roles across its subsidiaries.
Mohammed, nominated to replace Ahmed, was recently appointed an independent non executive director at Seplat Energy. He has over 37 years of industry experience, previously led a division within NNPC, and played a role in drafting Nigeria’s Gas Master Plan.
“I do not think these resignations will adversely affect investor confidence,” said Ayodele Oni, an energy lawyer and partner at Lagos based Bloomfield law firm. “Both nominees are well known in the sector and bring deep institutional knowledge.”
The nominations now await Senate confirmation as the government seeks to steady regulatory oversight in a sector central to Nigeria’s economy and fiscal stability.
