Nigeria's Tinubu nominates new oil regulators after chiefs resign amid Dangote dispute

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to confirm two new heads for Nigeria's oil and gas regulators after their predecessors abruptly quit, amid a high stakes clash between one agency and Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote.

Tinubu's nominations follow the exit of Gbenga Komolafe, chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, and Farouk Ahmed, head of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.

Dangote has accused Ahmed of allowing the entry of cut-price fuel imports that threaten local refineries, including his 650,000-barrel-per-day Lagos plant, Africa's largest.

The shake-up comes at a critical moment for Africa's top oil producer, where regulatory uncertainty and supply fears have dominated headlines since Dangote lodged a formal petition against Ahmed, citing governance concerns and claims of personal spending beyond declared income.