Tinubu Nominates Six Executive Directors for NMDPRA, Seeks Senate Confirmation

President Bola Tinubu has nominated six executive directors for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), forwarding their names to the Senate for confirmation. The nominations, announced on Friday, October 30, comprise three serving directors proposed for another term and three new nominees. The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed the development in a statement, explaining that the nominees would serve five-year terms if confirmed by the Senate. The three serving executive directors nominated for another term are Abiodun Adeniji, for Finance and Accounts; Ogbugo Kalu Ukoha, for Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure; and Dr Mustapha Lamorde, for Health, Safety, Environment and Community. The new nominees are Mobolaji Tajudeen Musa, proposed as Executive Director of Hydrocarbon Processing Plants, Installations and Transportation Infrastructure; Ogechukwu Modie, for Economic Regulations and Strategic Planning; and Said Abutalib, for Corporate Services and Administration. Tinubu urged the Senate to consider the nominations expeditiously, saying the appointments would ensure institutional continuity and strengthen the authority’s oversight capacity. In a related development, the President approved the appointment of Jumoke Gafar as Secretary to the Board/Authority and Legal Adviser of the NMDPRA. However, her appointment remains subject to the completion of statutory procedures under Section 46 of the Petroleum Industry Act. The latest nominations follow Tinubu’s appointment of Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as the authority’s Chief Executive in April 2026. The NMDPRA is responsible for regulating Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum sectors, including activities involving petroleum processing, transportation, storage and distribution. The Senate’s consideration of the six nominations will determine whether the proposed executive directors can assume their respective positions for the new five-year terms.