Saidu Mohammed: When Regulation Calls Louder Than the Boardroom

Some career moves end before they begin. In Nigeria’s energy sector recently, restraint became the headline.

On December 17, 2025, Seplat Energy Plc announced the appointment of Engineer Saidu Mohammed as an Independent Non-Executive Director, effective January 1, 2026. Five days later, the company confirmed his withdrawal. The reason was precise: conflict of interest.

The timing mattered. On the same day Seplat issued its board announcement, President Bola Tinubu nominated Mohammed as CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). The Senate confirmed the appointment on December 19. By December 23, he had assumed office.

The regulator Mohammed now leads overseas companies across Nigeria’s midstream and downstream value chain, including Seplat. Holding a board seat in a regulated firm while running the regulator would breach governance and independence standards. Mohammed formally stepped aside.

The episode followed earlier board changes at Seplat. In April 2025, Bello Rabiu and Babs Omotowa resigned after being nominated to the board of NNPC Limited. Mohammed and Larry Ephraim Ettah were appointed to fill the resulting vacancies. Ettah’s appointment stands.

Mohammed arrives at the NMDPRA with depth. He brings over 37 years of oil and gas experience, largely within NNPC. His focus has been on natural gas development, infrastructure, and commercialisation.

As Group Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Gas and Power at NNPC, he oversaw major projects. These include the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline Expansion, the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano gas pipeline, and Nigeria LNG Train 7. He also contributed to frameworks that fed into the Petroleum Industry Act.

His résumé includes roles as Managing Director of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company and the Nigerian Gas Company. He has chaired strategic energy boards and represented Nigeria in regional and international forums. He is a COREN-registered engineer and a fellow of two engineering bodies.

The decision to withdraw from Seplat did not alter any contract or dispute. It clarified lines. Since the industry of concern is one where boundaries often blur, the cleaner story was the one that did not proceed.