Buhari seeks senate confirmation of  board of upstream regulatory commission, petroleum regulatory authority

President Muhammadu Buhari has written the Senate,  seeking for the screening and subsequent confirmation of  members of the Board of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority. Buhari in another letter has also asked the Senate to confirm members of the  board of the Upstream Regulatory Commission. Buhari the letter dated September 16, 2021, and read during plenary by the  President of the Senate,  Senator Ahmad Lawan said that the request to confirm the Chairman, Chief Executive  and Executive Directors for the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority was made in accordance with the provision of Section 34(3) of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021. 

The nominees for confirmation into the Nigerian Petroleum Regulatory Board are: Idaere Gogo Ogan (Chairman); Engr. Sarki Auwalu (Chief Executive); Abiodun A. Adeniji (Executive Director, Finance and Accounts); and Ogbugo Ukoha (Executive Director, Distributions Systems, Storage and Retail Infrastructure). In a separate letter dated September 16, 2021, President Buhari while relying on the provision of Section 11(3) of the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, requested the Senate to confirm the appointment of four nominees as Chairman, Chief Executive and Executive Commissioners to the Board of the Upstream Regulatory Commission. 

The nominees for confirmation are: Isa Ibrahim Modibo (Chairman); Engr. Gbenga Komolafe (Chief Executive); Hassan Gambo (Executive Commissioner, Finance and Accounts); and Ms Rose Ndong (Executive Commissioner, Exploration and Acreage Management). According to the President, both requests for the confirmation of the board’s membership were made “in order to fast track the process for the establishment of the Commission”.