Tinubu names six NMDPRA executive directors, asks Senate to confirm
- President Tinubu has nominated six executive directors for the NMDPRA and sent their names to the Senate.
- Three are returning directors and three are new, each to serve five years if confirmed.
- He also approved Jumoke Gafar as board secretary and legal adviser, subject to PIA requirements.
President Bola Tinubu has nominated six executive directors for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the agency that regulates fuel supply, gas processing, storage and distribution in Nigeria. Their names have been sent to the Senate for confirmation, according to a statement on Friday from the President's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Three of the nominees are returning directors. They are Abiodun Adeniji (Finance and Accounts), Ogbugo Kalu Ukoha (Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure) and Mustapha Lamorde (Health, Safety, Environment and Community).
The three new nominees are Mobolaji Tajudeen Musa (Hydrocarbon Processing Plants, Installations and Transportation Infrastructure), Ogechukwu Modie (Economic Regulations and Strategic Planning) and Said Abutalib (Corporate Services and Administration).
If the Senate confirms them, each will serve a five-year term. Tinubu asked the Senate to consider the nominations quickly so the authority keeps its institutional continuity and can strengthen its oversight, the statement said.
Why this matters for Nigerians
The NMDPRA sits at the centre of the petrol and gas chain, from depots and tank farms to filling stations and gas plants. Its directors handle finance, safety, distribution and economic regulation, the areas that shape how fuel moves across the country and what Nigerians pay at the pump.
A leadership gap or slow confirmation can affect decisions on licences, safety inspections and pricing rules. That is why the President's letter stressed speed.
In a related move, Tinubu approved the appointment of Jumoke Gafar as Secretary to the Board and Legal Adviser of the NMDPRA. Her appointment depends on completing the statutory processes under Section 46 of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the law that created the authority.
The nominations come months after Tinubu appointed Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as the agency's chief executive in April.
What happens next
The Senate will screen the six nominees and vote on their confirmation. Only after that do the five-year terms begin. Gafar's appointment will take effect once the PIA requirements are met.