President Bola Tinubu has formally asked the Senate to confirm the appointments and reappointments of seven executive directors and the Board Secretary of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). The request was conveyed in a letter addressed to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and read during plenary on Tuesday.
In the letter, the President explained that the appointments were made in line with Section 41, subsections 2 and 3 of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, underscoring the administration’s commitment to filling key regulatory positions in accordance with the law.
Three of the nominees are seeking reappointment. They are Abiodun Adeniji, Executive Director, Finance and Accounts; Ogbugo Ukoha, Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure; and Dr Mustapha Lamode, Executive Director, Health, Safety, Environment and Community.
The remaining four are new nominations. They include Mobolaji Musa, Executive Director, Hydrocarbon Processing Plants, Installation and Partnership; Ogechukwu Modie, Executive Director, Economic Regulation and Strategic Planning; Said Abutali, Executive Director, Corporate Services and Administration; and Jumoke Gafar, Board Secretary and Legal Adviser.
Tinubu urged the Senate to consider and confirm the nominees. In response, Akpabio expressed hope that lawmakers would conclude the exercise expeditiously. The Senate President subsequently referred the request to the relevant committees on Petroleum Resources for further legislative consideration and directed them to report back to the chamber within one week.
The NMDPRA is one of the regulatory agencies established under the Petroleum Industry Act to oversee Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum sectors, including the transportation, storage, distribution and marketing of petroleum products. The confirmation of its leadership team is therefore central to the effective regulation of these segments of the industry.
