President Bola Tinubu has nominated six executive directors for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), forwarding their names to the Senate for confirmation.
The nominations were announced in a State House statement issued on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
The nominations comprise three serving executive directors seeking reappointment and three new nominees, with all six expected to serve five-year terms if confirmed by the Senate.
The development is aimed at strengthening the leadership structure and regulatory capacity of the petroleum sector agency, which oversees Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum operations.
The three executive directors renominated by the President are Abiodun Adeniji, Executive Director, Finance and Accounts; Ogbugo Kalu Ukoha, Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure; and Mustapha Lamorde, Executive Director, Health, Safety, Environment and Community.
The three new nominees are Mobolaji Tajudeen Musa, Executive Director, Hydrocarbon Processing Plants, Installations and Transportation Infrastructure; Ogechukwu Modie, Executive Director, Economic Regulations and Strategic Planning; and Said Abutalib, Executive Director, Corporate Services and Administration.
Tinubu urged the Senate to expedite consideration of the nominations to ensure continuity in the Authority’s operations and strengthen its institutional oversight responsibilities.
In a related development, the President has approved the appointment of Jumoke Gafar as Secretary to the Board/Authority and Legal Adviser, subject to the completion of statutory procedures prescribed under Section 46 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The latest appointments come amid ongoing efforts to consolidate the leadership structure of the NMDPRA, following Tinubu’s appointment of Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as the Authority’s chief executive in April.
