President Bola Tinubu has approved the removal of Mr Saidu Mohammed as the Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), in the public interest.

The President has also approved the nomination of Mr Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as the new Chief Executive of the NMDPRA. The appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.

According to a statement by his spokesman Bayo Onanuga, this decision, made pursuant to the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, was aimed at strengthening regulatory effectiveness in the midstream and downstream petroleum sector, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Umar is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience across the energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors, and a proven track record in strategic leadership, operational transformation, and large-scale project delivery.

He is a graduate of Accounting from Bayero University and an alumnus of Harvard Business School. Pending Senate confirmation of the new nominee, the most senior official of the NMDPRA would oversee operations in an acting capacity.