Senate Confirms Eyesan, Mohammed As CEOs Of NUPRC, NMDPRA

The Senate, on Friday, confirmed the appointments of Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan as Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Engineer Saidu Mohammed as Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

The Senate made these confirmations following the consideration and adoption of the report of the joint Senate committees that screened the nominees, which was presented at plenary by the Chairman, Senator Kawu Sumaila.

While presenting the Committee’s report, Sumaila recalled that the Senate, at its sitting of December 18, 2025, received a request from President Bola Tinubu, seeking confirmation of the two nominees in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.

He explained 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, subject to Senate confirmation, for a renewable five-year term.

According to him, the joint Committees met as directed and engaged the nominees in what he described as a rigorous and transparent screening exercise, during which lawmakers interrogated their qualifications, experience and understanding of the mandates of the agencies.

“The Joint Committee, having screened the nominees and satisfied with their qualifications, expertise and responses to the various questions asked, hereby recommends that the Senate confirm the nomination of Eyesan as Commission Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission and Mohammed as Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority,” Sumaila said.

Following the presentation, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Jibrin Barau, who presided over the session, put the recommendations to a voice vote. Lawmakers unanimously affirmed both nominations, paving the way for their immediate assumption of office.

Announcing the outcome, the Deputy President commended the joint committees on petroleum for what he described as exceptional diligence and speed, noting that the screening was concluded within an unusually tight timeframe.

“The confirmation and screening were referred to the committee just yesterday. They worked through the night and did in one day what ordinarily should take one or two weeks,” Barau said. “They have demonstrated their commitment to the Senate and to Nigeria.”

He congratulated the newly confirmed chief executives and reminded them that their appointments amounted to a call to national service.

“The expectation is that they will discharge their duties in a manner that serves the interests of the institutions they now head and, most importantly, the overall interest of the country,” Barau added.

With the confirmation, the Senate formally completed the process of installing new leadership at the helm of Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory architecture, a move seen as critical to sustaining reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act and restoring stability to the sector.