The Senate on Friday confirmed the appointments of new chief executives for Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory agencies, marking a leadership reset across the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry.
The approvals followed the adoption of the joint committees’ report that screened the nominees. The report was presented at plenary by Senator Kawu Sumaila, chairman of the committees, during a session presided over by Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau.
The Senate confirmed Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Engineer Saidu Mohammed as Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
Sumaila recalled that on December 18, 2025, the Senate received a request from President Bola Tinubu seeking legislative confirmation of the nominees, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021. The request was referred to the joint committees on petroleum for rigorous screening.
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He noted that Sections 4 and 29 of the PIA establish the NUPRC and NMDPRA, while Sections 11(3) and 34(3) empower the President to appoint their chief executives for a renewable five-year term, subject to Senate confirmation.
“The joint committees engaged the nominees in a thorough and transparent screening, examining their qualifications, experience, and understanding of the statutory mandates of the agencies,” Sumaila said.
“Having satisfied ourselves with their credentials and responses, we recommend the confirmation of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as NUPRC Chief Executive and Engineer Saidu Mohammed as NMDPRA Chief Executive.”
Deputy Senate President Barau put the recommendations to a voice vote, which was unanimously approved. He commended the joint committees for completing the screening within a single day, noting the effort as “a demonstration of commitment to the Senate and the nation.”
Barau congratulated the newly confirmed executives, urging them to discharge their duties in the nation’s interest.
With the confirmations, the Senate has formally installed new leadership across Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory framework, a development expected to consolidate reforms under the PIA and strengthen stability in the oil and gas sector.
