The Nigerian Senate has moved swiftly to confirm new leadership for the country's two main petroleum regulatory agencies, following a dramatic series of resignations triggered by corruption allegations from Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote.
Senate Approves New Regulatory Chiefs
On Friday, December 19, 2025, the Senate confirmed the appointments of Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan as Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Saidu Mohammed as Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The confirmations came after the consideration and adoption of a report by a joint Senate committee chaired by Senator Abdulrahman Kawu. This legislative action was notably expedited, occurring just one day after the resignation of Farouk Ahmed as CEO of the NMDPRA.
The Dangote Allegations That Sparked a Crisis
The upheaval began when Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group, submitted a formal petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The petition, filed through his lawyer Ogwu Onoja, accused the then-NMDPRA chief, Farouk Ahmed, of serious corruption and financial impropriety.
Dangote's allegations were strikingly specific. He claimed Ahmed lived far beyond his means, detailing that four of Ahmed's children attended secondary schools in Switzerland at a cost running into millions of dollars. The petition alleged about five million dollars was spent on their secondary education and upkeep over six years, with an additional two million dollars on tertiary education.
One of the most eye-catching claims was an alleged payment of 210,000 dollars in 2025 for a Harvard MBA programme for one of the children. Dangote provided the names of the children and their schools, urging the ICPC to arrest, investigate, and prosecute Ahmed. The ICPC has confirmed receipt of the petition and pledged a thorough investigation.
Escalation to Accusations of Economic Sabotage
The dispute intensified further when Dangote publicly accused the NMDPRA leadership under Ahmed of economic sabotage. Speaking at a press conference at the Dangote Refinery in Lagos on Sunday, he argued that the regulator's continued issuance of import licences for petroleum products was undermining Nigeria's local refining capacity and perpetuating the nation's dependence on costly imports.
He went further, alleging collusion between the regulator and international traders to the disadvantage of domestic refiners like his own mega-refinery. Ahmed dismissed all allegations in a brief statement, calling them "wild and spurious" and stating that, as a regulator, he would not engage in a public dispute.
Presidential Intervention and Swift Replacements
The fallout was rapid. Following Ahmed's resignation and the earlier stepping down of Gbenga Komolafe as CEO of the NUPRC, President Bola Tinubu wrote to the Senate requesting the expedited confirmation of the new nominees. The Presidency described both Eyesan and Mohammed as seasoned professionals in the oil and gas industry.
Dangote's petition framed the issue as one of protecting public trust, stating: "We have no reservation that, being a matter that is in the public domain, the Commission will not close its eyes to it but act decisively to ensure that justice is done and the good image of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is protected."
The swift Senate confirmations mark a decisive political response to a scandal that has rocked Nigeria's crucial energy sector, aiming to restore stability and integrity to its regulatory framework.
