President Bola Tinubu has removed the head of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Saidu Mohammed, amid growing controversy over aviation fuel pricing and wider tensions in Nigeria’s downstream oil sector.
The decision comes just days after the regulator stepped in to cap jet fuel prices following sharp increases that had pushed airlines to the brink of operational disruption. Airline operators had warned that soaring aviation fuel costs could force flight cancellations and higher fares.
Mohammed, who had been in office for only about four months, is being replaced by Rabiu Abdullahi Umar, pending Senate confirmation. Umar is a seasoned executive with more than 25 years of experience across the energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors, including senior roles linked to the Dangote business group.
The shake-up also follows complaints from Dangote Refinery over fuel import licensing and pricing policies. The refinery had raised concerns that continued import approvals were undermining local refining efforts, even as authorities publicly suggested import licences had been limited.
Officially, the Presidency says the removal was made “in the public interest” and is intended to strengthen regulatory effectiveness in the petroleum sector. Unofficially, it’s another reminder that in Nigeria’s energy sector, the turbulence isn’t limited to jet fuel.
