NEWS
Shake-up In Oil Sector As NMDPRA, NUPRC CEOs Resign
The Nigerian oil and gas sector witnessed a major leadership shake-up on Wednesday as the Chief Executive Officers of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) resigned from office.
Farouk Ahmed, who headed the NMDPRA, and Gbenga Komolafe, the Chief Executive of the NUPRC, stepped down from their positions, prompting President Bola Tinubu to nominate new leaders for the two regulatory agencies.
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In separate letters addressed to the Senate, President Tinubu requested the expedited confirmation of Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as the new Chief Executive Officer of the NMDPRA and Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as the Chief Executive Officer of the NUPRC.
The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Ahmed and Komolafe were appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari following the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act, which restructured Nigeria’s oil and gas regulatory framework.
According to the statement, Eyesan is an economist and industry veteran with nearly 33 years of experience at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and its subsidiaries.
She retired in 2024 as Executive Vice President, Upstream, and previously served as Group General Manager, Corporate Planning and Strategy.
Mohammed, a chemical engineer, has held key leadership positions in the energy sector, including Managing Director of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company.
He has also served on several energy-related boards and is currently an independent non-executive director at Seplat Energy.
“The two nominees are seasoned professionals in the oil and gas industry,” the statement said.
Ahmed’s resignation follows a high-profile public dispute with Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, which dominated public discourse in December 2025.
Dangote had accused the former NMDPRA chief and his family of living beyond their legitimate means, alleging that millions of dollars were spent on overseas education for his children.
Dangote subsequently petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to investigate Ahmed over allegations of abuse of office and corrupt enrichment, a move that sparked widespread debate over transparency and accountability within Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory system.
Ahmed denied the allegations, describing them as “wild and spurious,” and maintained that he would rather face a formal investigation than engage in public exchanges.
The controversy, which reportedly began in 2024 after Ahmed criticised domestic refinery output, including that of the Dangote Refinery, drew the intervention of the House of Representatives, which summoned both parties in an effort to prevent disruption in the oil and gas sector.
NEWS
Showunmi Urges South-East to Judge Tinubu by Projects, Not Propaganda
Otunba Segun Showunmi, a member of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) for 2027, has urged the South-East to assess President Bola Tinubu’s administration based on verifiable projects and measurable results rather than political propaganda.
Showunmi made the call in a statement posted on X on Saturday, urging Nigerians to evaluate the government’s performance based on infrastructure delivery, funds committed to projects and their impact on communities.
He said federal infrastructure initiatives targeting the South-East under Tinubu’s administration deserved serious scrutiny and factual assessment, adding that unfulfilled promises should continue to be pursued until the expected results were delivered.
SEE ALSO: 2027 Election: ‘Look Beyond the Noise’ – Showunmi Urges Nigerians to Give Tinubu More Time
“Our message is clear: We will not trade facts for propaganda, nor accountability for political loyalty!” he said.
The political figure challenged critics of the administration to provide evidence to support their claims, while urging those defending the government to present the projects and demonstrate their impact.
He also called on government officials to publish relevant figures, disclose project timelines and provide measurable results, insisting that no public official should be exempt from scrutiny.
According to Showunmi, the South-East deserves infrastructure that supports economic growth, including roads that connect markets, investments that create jobs and policies that expand economic opportunities.
He maintained that political representation must translate into tangible benefits for citizens, stressing that public office should deliver value to the people.
As part of his call to action, Showunmi urged Nigerians to scrutinise government records, challenge misinformation with evidence and demand the completion of outstanding projects.
He further called for public commitments to be matched by measurable delivery, arguing that leadership should be assessed by facts and results rather than political rhetoric.
Ending his statement with the slogan, “Asiwaju is a goal,” Showunmi called for accountability and greater inclusion of the South-East in Nigeria’s development.
Showunmi is associated with The Alternative and is a member of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council for the 2027 elections.
NEWS
Lagos: LASTMA Announces Traffic Restrictions Along Route to Toll Gate
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Saturday announced a temporary road closure near Apostolic Church, inward Toll Gate, to allow engineers to install a beam on a height-restriction structure.
The agency said the installation was aimed at preventing high-rise trailers from accessing the newly constructed pedestrian bridge.
ALSO READ: LASTMA Alerts Motorists to Traffic Delays on Ogunnusi Road
“Currently, one lane has been occupied to facilitate the ongoing construction work, while the remaining two lanes are available to motorists,” LASTMA stated.
The agency advised road users to approach the affected corridor with caution and follow the directions of its personnel deployed to the area.
“Road users are advised to approach the affected corridor with caution and follow the directions of our personnel who are on ground to ensure the smooth flow of vehicular movement,” the statement added.
LASTMA also urged motorists to remain patient while the installation work continued.
“Motorists are encouraged to exercise patience while the installation work is in progress,” the agency stated.
NEWS
‘Oseni Rufai Helped Me, Not NiDCOM’ — Ekene Chukwuma on Return to Nigeria
Nigerian national Ekene Chukwuma has said he returned to Nigeria with assistance linked to Oseni Rufai rather than the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), while renewing allegations against the commission’s chairperson, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, over his travel documents.
Chukwuma made the remarks in an interview in which he explained how he returned to Nigeria after spending months at a deportation camp in India.
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“My name is Kenneth Chukwu, from Enugu State,” he said, introducing himself before explaining how he returned to the country.
“I came back here with the assist of Osini Roufai, a good friend of him,” he said.
Chukwuma denied that NiDCOM facilitated his return, alleging that the commission had published false information about his case.
“NiDCOM made a lots of false, uh, news acquisition against me, which is still in Abike Dabiri handle in Twitter,” he said.
He also accused Dabiri-Erewa of sharing his expired international passport and a travel certificate he claimed was issued six months after he entered the detention camp.
“He also, she also posted my international passport that expired. He also, she also posted my TC that issued after 6 months,” he said.
His comments renew questions surrounding the handling of his case and the circumstances under which he obtained the documents needed to return to Nigeria.
Chukwuma’s detention in India previously sparked a public disagreement between ARISE News presenter Oseni Rufai and Dabiri-Erewa over NiDCOM’s response to reports of his situation.
Oseni raised concerns about Chukwuma’s detention and the commission’s handling of the case, while Dabiri-Erewa defended NiDCOM’s position and explained the process for submitting information to the commission.
NiDCOM subsequently issued its account of Chukwuma’s detention, stating that he had been arrested in India over a visa overstay and addressing the circumstances surrounding his travel documents.
The differing accounts prompted public debate about the commission’s response to Nigerians facing immigration difficulties abroad.





