President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to confirm seven nominees for key management positions in the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), including three serving executive directors seeking reappointment.
The request was conveyed in a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and read during plenary on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.
Tinubu said the nominations were made in accordance with Section 41(2) and (3) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), 2021, which provides the legal framework for appointments into the authority’s management structure.
The three nominees seeking reappointment are Abiodun Adeniji, Executive Director, Finance and Accounts; Ogbugo Ukoha, Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure; and Dr Mustapha Lamorde, Executive Director, Health, Safety, Environment and Community.
The four nominees proposed for new appointments are Mobolaji Musa, nominated as Executive Director, Hydrocarbon Processing Plants, Installation and Partnership; Ogechukwu Modie, Executive Director, Economic Regulation and Strategic Planning; and Said Abutali, Executive Director, Corporate Services and Administration.
Jumoke Gafar was nominated as Secretary of the Board and Legal Adviser.
In the letter, the President expressed the hope that the Senate would consider and confirm the nominees expeditiously.
Following the presentation of the request, Akpabio referred the nominations to the Senate Committees on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and Petroleum Resources (Gas) for further legislative consideration.
The committees were directed to examine the nominations and report back to the Senate within one week.
The confirmation process is expected to determine whether the nominees receive the Senate’s approval to occupy the respective positions in the regulatory authority.
The NMDPRA was established under the Petroleum Industry Act to regulate Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum sectors, including petroleum processing, transportation, storage, distribution and supply.
The appointments come amid the ongoing institutional development of the petroleum regulatory framework established by the 2021 legislation.
The Senate’s approval is required before the nominees can assume the positions for which confirmation has been sought.