Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to confirm two new heads for Nigeria’s oil and gas regulators after their predecessors abruptly quit, amid a high-stakes clash between one agency and Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.
Tinubu’s nominations follow the exit of Gbenga Komolafe, chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, and Farouk Ahmed, head of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
Dangote has accused Ahmed of allowing the entry of cut-price fuel imports that threaten local refineries, including his 650,000-barrel-per-day Lagos plant, Africa’s largest.
Dangote on Wednesday submitted a petition against Ahmed with one of Nigeria’s antigraft agencies – the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Komolafe, who recently launched an oil block auction, has clashed with Dangote over failure to enforce a law requiring producers to prioritize local refineries.
The shake-up comes at a critical moment for Africa’s top oil producer, where regulatory uncertainty and supply fears have dominated headlines since Dangote lodged a formal petition against Ahmed, citing governance concerns and claims of personal spending beyond declared income.
Analysts say the resignations are unlikely to have a major impact on the sector. Komolafe’s proposed successor, Oritsemeyiwa Amanorisewo Eyesan, a former NNPC executive, spent more than three decades at the state oil company, including heading one of its subsidiaries.
Farouk’s replacement, Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, was named today as an independent non-executive director at Seplat Energy. With over 37 years of experience, he previously led an NNPC division and helped draft Nigeria’s Gas Master Plan
“I don’t think in either case, these resignations would adversely affect investor confidence,” said Ayodele Oni, an energy lawyer and partner at Lagos-based Bloomfield law firm.
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