Why should you care who runs Nigeria's fuel regulator? Because they decide if your petrol is safe, fairly priced, and actually available.

President Bola Tinubu has nominated six Executive Directors to run the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and has asked the Senate to confirm them quickly.

According to a statement by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, credited to cbinews.tv, three are familiar faces being reappointed, and three are fresh blood. All will serve a five-year term if confirmed.

The returnees are:

Mr Abiodun Adeniji – Finance and Accounts; Mr Ogbugo Kalu Ukoha – Distribution, Storage and Retailing; and Dr Mustapha Lamorde – Health, Safety, Environment and Community.

The new nominees are:

Mr Mobolaji Tajudeen Musa – Hydrocarbon Processing and Transportation; Ms Ogechukwu Modie – Economic Regulations and Strategic Planning; and Mr Said Abutalib – Corporate Services.

The President also named Mrs Jumoke Gafar as Secretary to the Board and Legal Adviser, pending Section 46 of the PIA.

The NMDPRA isn't just another agency. Created under the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, it replaced the old DPR and PPPRA to regulate everything after crude leaves the ground – refining, gas processing, storage, trucking, and that filling station on your street. Its job is market pricing, product quality, and licensing.

Remember, President Tinubu only in April appointed Engr. Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as the Authority's Chief Executive. This latest move completes his leadership overhaul, five years after the PIA ended decades of ad hoc regulation.

This is about your everyday experience. A strong NMDPRA board means fewer adulterated fuels damaging your car, safer retail stations in your community, and a regulator that can actually enforce rules rather than watch cheap, substandard imports flood the market.

Next Steps:

The ball is now in the Senate's court. Once confirmed, the team is expected to tighten licensing compliance – the Authority just warned it will sanction operators without proper PIA licences – and give investors clarity on domestic refining.

Short version: New faces, same mandate, make downstream work for Nigerians.

Source: cbinews.tv

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