President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly relieved the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Saidu Mohammed, of his duties while he was attending an official engagement in Germany.
According to a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the removal took effect on Wednesday, just about four months after Mohammed assumed office.
Although the presidency did not provide specific reasons for his dismissal, it referenced provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 as the legal basis for the leadership change.
Findings indicate that Mohammed was leading Nigeria’s delegation to the Pipeline Technology Conference in Berlin, held between April 27 and 30, 2026, when the decision was communicated.
The statement also announced the nomination of Abdullahi Umar as the new Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, noting that his appointment is subject to Senate confirmation.
Onanuga described Umar as an experienced professional with over 25 years in the energy and infrastructure sectors. He is said to hold a degree in Accounting from Bayero University and is also an alumnus of Harvard Business School.
Pending Senate approval, the statement added that the most senior official within the agency will oversee its operations in an acting capacity.
President Tinubu, through the statement, thanked the outgoing CEO for his service and wished him well in his future endeavours. He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening regulatory institutions in the oil and gas sector to improve efficiency, energy security, and economic growth.
Mohammed’s removal comes months after his appointment amid industry-wide tensions and high-level regulatory scrutiny within the downstream petroleum sector.
