Mohammed Takes Over as NMDPRA Chief, Pledges Continuity

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has completed a leadership transition, with outgoing Authority Chief Executive Farouk Ahmed formally handing over to incoming chief executive Saidu Aliyu Mohammed in a ceremony held on Tuesday. The event underscored the Authority’s commitment to institutional continuity, accountability, and effective leadership.

The formal handover ceremony brought together the Authority’s Executive Directors, senior management, and staff, and culminated in the symbolic transfer of official documents and responsibilities from Ahmed to Mohammed.

This transition comes at a critical period for Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum sector, as the Federal Government intensifies reforms aimed at boosting energy security, improving supply efficiency, and attracting investment under the framework of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021.

Ahmed, who was appointed in 2021 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, resigned from his position ahead of the expiry of his tenure next year. President Bola Tinubu had sought and secured the approval of the National Assembly for the nomination of Saidu Aliyu Mohammed as the new chief executive of the NMDPRA.

Under Ahmed’s tenure, the Authority oversaw key regulatory interventions in fuel supply management, pricing deregulation, licensing, and infrastructure oversight, particularly amid market adjustments following the removal of petrol subsidy.

The appointment of Mohammed is expected to sustain ongoing reforms while strengthening regulatory oversight across the midstream and downstream value chains.

The NMDPRA is responsible for regulating Nigeria’s gas processing, transportation, petroleum products distribution, and retail segments, following the unbundling of the former Department of Petroleum Resources into two independent regulators. The Authority reiterated that the orderly handover reflects its adherence to governance standards designed to ensure stability and continuity in regulatory operations.