Tinubu Fires NMDPRA Chief Amid Jet Fuel Price Crisis

President Bola Tinubu has officially removed Saidu Mohammed from his position as Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) amid ongoing disputes regarding jet fuel pricing. This decision comes at a critical time when airline operators in Nigeria have threatened to halt operations due to the soaring costs of aviation fuel, which have reportedly increased by 300% since February 2026.

The announcement was made by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President, who stated that the removal was in the public interest and aimed at strengthening regulatory effectiveness in the petroleum sector, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act of 2021. Rabiu Abdullahi Umar has been nominated as Mohammed's successor, subject to Senate confirmation.

Umar brings 25 years of experience in the energy and manufacturing sectors. The aviation industry has expressed concerns over the significant price hikes, with jet A1 fuel prices reported between N1,760 and N1,988 per liter in Lagos and N1,809 to N2,037 in Abuja.