In a significant move to advance the ongoing reforms within Nigeria's vital petroleum industry, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally requested the Senate to confirm twenty-one nominees for the governing boards of two key regulatory agencies.
Key Nominations for Upstream and Downstream Regulators
The nominations, announced in a statement by Presidential Adviser Bayo Onanuga on January 5, 2026, target the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). This step follows the recent appointment and confirmation of new Chief Executive Officers for both bodies.
For the NUPRC Board, President Tinubu nominated former Senator Magnus Abe as Chairman. Abe, a two-term senator for Rivers South-East, brings experience from previous roles on the board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) and as Chairman of the National Agency of the Great Green Wall.
The President also put forward Engineer Paul Yaro Jezhi, a former Kaduna State TUC chairman, and Mr. Sunday Adebayo Babalola, an ex-deputy director of the defunct Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), as Non-Executive Commissioners.
Executive Commissioners and NMDPRA Leadership
Several Executive Commissioners were nominated for the NUPRC, including Muhammed Sabo Lamido (Finance), Edu Inyang (Exploration and Acreage), and Justin Ezeala (Economic Regulation and Strategic Planning). Others are Henry Darlington Oki, Indabawa Bashari Alka, Mahmood Tijani, and Ms. Olayemi Adeboyejo as Secretary and Legal Adviser.
In a separate letter, the President nominated seasoned energy lawyer Mr. Adegbite Ebiowei Adeniji as Chairman of the NMDPRA Board. Adeniji, with over thirty years in the sector, has served as a Special Technical Adviser to the Minister of State for Petroleum and advised on World Bank-backed petroleum reforms.
Other notable NMDPRA nominees include former Minister of State for Trade, Chief Kenneth Kobani, and Mrs. Asabe Ahmed as non-executive members. The list of executive directors features Abiodun Adeniji, Francis Ogaree, Oluwole Adama, and Dr. Mustapha Lamorde.
President Calls for Swift Senate Action
President Tinubu has urged the Senate to expedite the confirmation process. He emphasized that these appointments are a continuation of efforts to solidify the leadership of the oil and gas regulatory framework, coming shortly after the confirmation of the agencies' CEOs.
The President stated that all nominees are expected to carry out their duties with the highest levels of professionalism and responsibility, underscoring the critical role these boards will play in regulating the nation's primary economic sector.
