The Niger Delta Youth Coalition has congratulated the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, Engineer Saidu Aliyu Mohammed, describing his appointment as both well-deserved and timely for Nigeria’s energy sector.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the coalition—an umbrella body representing youth organisations and host communities across the nine oil- and gas-producing states of the Niger Delta—said the appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reflects the administration’s commitment to professionalism, competence and reform within the petroleum industry.
The group noted that the new NMDPRA chief executive brings to office proven leadership ability, strong technical expertise and extensive experience in the energy sector, attributes it believes will enhance regulatory transparency, innovation and operational efficiency across Nigeria’s midstream and downstream segments.
According to the coalition, effective regulation of the petroleum sector remains critical to economic growth, national development and shared prosperity, particularly for host communities that have borne the social and environmental costs of decades of oil and gas exploration.
“We are confident that his leadership will deliver forward-looking policies, programmes and regulatory frameworks capable of repositioning the sector in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration,” the statement said.
Emphasising its role as a key stakeholder, the Niger Delta Youth Coalition expressed its readiness to work closely with the NMDPRA under the new leadership. It said such collaboration would focus on information sharing, inclusive stakeholder engagement, peacebuilding and the promotion of sustainable development initiatives within the Niger Delta and beyond.
The coalition further stressed that constructive engagement between regulators and host communities is essential to sustaining stability in the oil-producing region and ensuring the long-term viability of Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
The statement was jointly signed by Odih Rowland (Edo), Comrade Prince Onengiye Amachree (Rivers), Opuama Joseph (Delta), Douglas Timothy (Cross River), Samuel A. (Ondo), Tonye Ebetimi (Bayelsa), Ugo Kingsley (Imo), Bassey Williams (Akwa Ibom) and Ikechukwu Samuel (Abia) states.
Coordinators of the coalition across the nine Niger Delta states concluded with best wishes for a “successful, impactful and legacy-defining tenure” for the new NMDPRA chief executive.
