Tinubu removes Saidu Mohammed as NMDPRA chief, nominates Rabiu Abdullahi as replacement

By AbdulHakeem Salami

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the removal of Mr. Saidu Mohammed as the Authority Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and has simultaneously nominated Mr. Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as his successor, according to an official press release issued on Wednesday 29 April 2026 by the State House, Abuja.

The announcement was made by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, who confirmed that Mohammed’s removal was carried out in the public interest.

The NMDPRA is the federal agency established under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 to exercise technical and commercial regulatory oversight over Nigeria’s midstream and downstream petroleum sector covering the processing, transportation, storage, distribution, and retail marketing of petroleum products.

Its leadership, therefore, carries direct implications for Nigeria’s fuel supply chain, energy pricing, and the broader stability of the downstream oil and gas industry.

Mohammed’s exit is shocking due to the fact he had assumed office only months ago, making his tenure among the shortest in the authority’s history. The Presidency, however, offered no further elaboration beyond the “public interest” justification, leaving the specific grounds for the removal a matter of official discretion.

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The newly nominated Mr. Rabiu Abdullahi Umar is a technocrat whose profile straddles the worlds of finance, energy, and large-scale industrial management. According to the State House press release, 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 holds a degree in Accounting from Bayero University, Kano and he is an alumnus of the prestigious Harvard Business School, placing him among a select class of Nigerian executives with elite international management training. His background in accounting and finance, combined with decades of hands-on experience in the energy and manufacturing sectors, positions him as a candidate whose competencies closely align with the NMDPRA’s dual mandate of technical regulation and commercial oversight.

His nomination, however, is not yet final. The State House statement was explicit on this point: the appointment remains subject to confirmation by the Senate, in accordance with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021. Until that legislative hurdle is cleared, the press release confirmed that “the most senior official of the NMDPRA will oversee operations in an acting capacity.”

Presidential Charge and Commitment

In a customary gesture, President Tinubu extended appreciation to the departing chief executive.

“The President thanks the outgoing Authority Chief Executive for his service and wishes him well in his future endeavours,” the statement read.

The Presidency further reaffirmed the administration’s broader institutional philosophy, stating that “the President remains committed to ensuring capable leadership in key regulatory institutions to advance energy security, sector reform, and sustainable economic growth.”