Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu Becomes Foreign Minister, Saidu Mohammed Sacked as NMDPRA’s Chief Executive

• Rabiu Umar nominated as replacement

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday approved the elevation of Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, following the resignation of Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, who stepped down to participate in the 2027 elections.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s elevation came on the same day the President sacked the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr. Saidu Mohammed who had spent a mere four months in office.

=Until her latest appointment, Odumegwu-Ojukwu was Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

The President, according to Onanuga, also nominated Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye as the new Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, subject to Senate confirmation.

Until his nomination, Enikanolaiye, from Kogi State, served as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations.

Enikanolaiye is a distinguished diplomat and seasoned public servant with over three decades of exemplary service in Nigeria’s foreign service. He has previously served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and held key diplomatic postings in Addis Ababa, Belgrade, Ottawa, London, and New Delhi.

The President noted that the appointments are part of ongoing efforts to reposition Nigeria’s foreign policy architecture for greater efficiency, strategic engagement, and stronger global partnerships.

Tinubu congratulated the appointees and urged them to work diligently to promote Nigeria’s national interest, advance economic diplomacy, foster regional stability, and safeguard the welfare of Nigerians at home and abroad.

Meanwhile, the President, in a statement issued by his Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, also approved the nomination of Mr. Rabiu Abdullahi Umar as the new Chief Executive of the NMDPRA.

The appointment is, however, subject to Senate confirmation.

The President, in the wake of the resignation of Farouk Ahmed as CEO of NMDPRA in December 2025, nominated Mohammed as his successor and, upon his confirmation by the Senate, assumed office formally on December 23, 2025.

According to the release, the decision, made pursuant to the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, was aimed at strengthening regulatory effectiveness in the midstream and downstream petroleum sector, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Pending Senate confirmation of the new nominee, the most senior official of the NMDPRA will oversee operations in an acting capacity.

Tinubu thanked the outgoing Authority Chief Executive for his service and wished him well in his future endeavours.

The President said he remains committed to ensuring capable leadership in key regulatory institutions to advance energy security, sector reform, and sustainable economic growth.

Umar is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience across the energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure sectors, and a proven track record in strategic leadership, operational transformation, and large-scale project delivery.

He is a graduate of Accounting from Bayero University and an alumnus of Harvard Business School.

The oil sector regulators had in the recent past been accused of wrongdoings.