Mohammed Takes The Helm As Mid/Downstream Authority CEO

President Bola Tinubu’s nominee, Saidu Mohammed, took the helm as the Nigerian Midstream Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) chief executive on Tuesday, following his approval by the Senate.

He is replacing Farouk Ahmed, who resigned from the position last week.

The Authority, in a statement issued to journalists, said that the handover ceremony, held in Abuja, underscored its commitment to institutional continuity, accountability, and effective leadership.

“The ceremony concluded with the symbolic transfer of documents and responsibilities, witnessed by the executive directors, senior management and staff, signalling a seamless and orderly transition in line with public service rules and corporate best practices,” it stated.

Recall that President  Tinubu  appointed Mohammed, following the resignation of  Ahmed last week.

Mohammed also recently withdrew from a planned appointment to the board of Seplat Energy following his appointment.

Seplat had announced on December 17 that Mohammed would join its board as an independent non-executive director from January 1.

The company however announced again on Monday, that Mohammed stepped aside because holding both roles would create a conflict of interest.

Seplat Energy’s company secretary, Edith Onwuchekwa, in a statement, confirmed that the company received formal notice of Mohammed’s decision to withdraw from the appointment.

His prior roles include managing director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and Nigerian Gas Company, as well as Chair of the boards of West African Gas Pipeline Company, Nigeria LNG subsidiaries, and NNPC Retail.

He also served as Group Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Gas & Power Directorate, where he provided strategic leadership for major gas projects and policy frameworks, including the Gas Masterplan and the Gas Network Code, as well as making contributions to the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

Mohammed played a pivotal role in delivering key projects such as the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline Expansion, the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline, and Nigeria LNG Train.