President Bola Tinubu has removed Saidu Mohammed as the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and appointed Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as his successor.
The appointment introduces a new leadership figure with extensive experience across Nigeria’s downstream petroleum and manufacturing sectors. Umar previously served as the Group Sales and Marketing Director at Dangote Cement Plc before taking on the regulatory role.
He brings more than two decades of professional experience, largely focused on senior management and executive responsibilities. His career has been marked by involvement in strategic transformation, commercial operations, and leadership across multiple industries.
Umar began his professional journey at Oando Plc, where he advanced through several managerial positions within the company’s marketing division. During his time there, he played a key role in executing a Sales and Marketing Transformation plan.
In 2014, he moved to Lafarge Africa, taking up the role of Energy and Power Director. He later expanded his responsibilities to include Strategy and Business Development for West Africa, overseeing projects across Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon.
By 2016, Umar was appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Ashaka Cement Plc. He led efforts to stabilize and improve the company’s performance before leaving in 2019.
He subsequently joined Dangote Industries Ltd as Group Chief Commercial Officer, where he later became Group Sales and Marketing Director at Dangote Cement Plc.
His appointment as NMDPRA chief comes at a time when Nigeria’s petroleum regulatory framework continues to evolve, with expectations that his experience will contribute to ongoing reforms in the sector.
