President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken a major step toward strengthening governance in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry by nominating 21 new board members for the country’s key petroleum regulatory agencies. The nominations — now pending confirmation by the National Assembly’s Senate — are part of efforts to ensure effective oversight, foster investor confidence, and sustain reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Who Has Been Named? Key Appointments
President Tinubu forwarded two separate letters to the Senate on January 5, 2026, requesting accelerated confirmation of nominees to:
Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC)
Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA)
Below are the key positions and nominees:
NUPRC Board
Chairman: Senator Magnus Abe — former two-term senator representing Rivers South-East, ex-NNPC board member, and currently Chairman of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall.
Non-Executive Commissioners:
Engr. Paul Yaro Jezhi
Mr. Sunday Adebayo Babalola
Executive Commissioners:
Muhammed Lamido – Finance
Edu Inyang – Exploration & Acreage
Justin Ezeala – Economic Regulation & Strategic Planning
Henry Oki – Development & Production
Indabawa Alka – Corporate Services & Admin
Mahmood Tijani – Health, Safety & Environment
Olayemi Adeboyejo – Secretary & Legal Adviser.
NMDPRA Board
Chairman: Adegbite Ebiowei Adeniji — seasoned energy lawyer with over 30 years of experience and former adviser on upstream gas matters.
Non-Executive Members:
Kenneth Kobani
Asabe Ahmed
Executive Directors:
Abiodun Adeniji – Finance
Francis Ogaree – Hydrocarbon
Oluwole Adama – Midstream & Downstream Gas Infrastructure
Mustapha Lamorde – Corporate Services & Admin
Yahaya Nasamu Yinusa – Distribution Systems
Adeyemi Murtala Aminu – Corporate Services
Modie Ogechukwu – Economic Regulation & Strategic Planning
Board Secretary & Legal Adviser: Olawale Dawodu
The nominees include a mix of experienced professionals, former political officeholders, and sector experts — blending institutional memory with fresh industry perspectives.
Why These Appointments Matter
Nigeria’s oil and gas industry is central to the nation’s economy, accounting for the majority of foreign exchange earnings and government revenue. Effective regulation — especially in upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors — is critical for:
Ensuring compliance with industry standards
Attracting foreign investment
Implementing PIA reforms aimed at transparency and efficiency
Improving sector performance and gas utilization
With new leadership structures in place, President Tinubu aims to boost regulatory oversight and enhance operational efficiency across the value chain.
Next Steps: Senate Confirmation
Under Nigerian law, presidential board nominees must be confirmed by the Senate. In his letters, President Tinubu urged legislators to expedite the confirmation process, stressing that swift approval will allow the boards to begin functioning fully and provide stable governance for the oil and gas sector.
The Senate will now schedule screenings and vet each nominee’s credentials, after which confirmation votes will be taken.
The Broader Context: Sector Reforms Underway
These board nominations come soon after the Senate confirmed CEOs for the regulatory agencies:
Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan as CEO of NUPRC
Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as CEO of NMDPRA
Together with the board appointments, these leadership changes complete a major phase in the implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) designed to modernize Nigeria’s hydrocarbon governance model and attract long-term investment.
