Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has nominated Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as chief executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the second leadership change at the petroleum regulator in four months, the presidency said on Tuesday.
Umar replaces Saidu Mohammed who was appointment in December after their predecessors abruptly quit, amid a high stakes clash between one agency and Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.
Wednesday’s nomination comes as Nigeria grapples with rising domestic energy prices, partly driven by higher global oil prices following the escalation of conflict involving Iran, which has heightened concerns about supply disruptions and increased volatility in international energy markets.
A statement by the presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, on Wednesday, noted that the removal of Mohammed is in the public interrst and aimed at strengthening regulatory effectiveness in the midstream and downstream petroleum sector.
Pending Senate confirmation, the most senior official at the NMDPRA will oversee the agency in an acting capacity.
Umar has more than 25 years of experience across the energy, manufacturing and infrastructure sectors. He previously worked at Dangote Cement, Nigeria’s largest cement producer, and has held senior roles involving operational management and large-scale project delivery.
The NMDPRA was established under a new law in 2021 to regulate Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum operations, a critical segment of Africa’s largest oil-producing economy
