The governor of Kano State and Nigeria’s newly confirmed NMDPRA boss have pledged closer cooperation to strengthen energy security and improve fuel supply in the country’s major commercial hub.
Mallam Rabiu A. Umar, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), made the commitment during a courtesy visit to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf at the Government House in Kano.
The meeting, held on the sidelines of Eid al-Adha celebrations, was the first official engagement between both men since Mr Umar’s confirmation by the Nigerian Senate on 7 May 2026.
Officials familiar with the discussions say both sides agreed on the need for stronger collaboration between federal regulators and state authorities, particularly to improve fuel availability, streamline distribution, and support energy-driven economic growth.
They also discussed possible joint efforts to ease supply bottlenecks and improve nationwide access to petroleum products, an issue Mr Umar had previously highlighted during his Senate screening.
Mr Umar, an accountant trained at Bayero University Kano and an alumnus of Harvard Business School, was nominated by President Bola Tinubu on 29 April 2026 and confirmed by the Senate in May.
Before his appointment, he served as Group Chief Commercial Officer at Dangote Industries Limited and held senior positions at Oando Plc and Ashaka Cement Plc.
During his Senate hearing, he promised to reposition the NMDPRA as a more efficient regulator and a driver of investment in the downstream petroleum sector.
“Energy security is not measured only by volumes in storage,” he told lawmakers. “It is measured by whether fuel is available when Nigerians need it, where Nigerians need it.”
His appointment has been welcomed by industry groups including the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria and the Petroleum Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, who described it as “well deserved”.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, elected in 2023 on the platform of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, has focused his administration on infrastructure renewal, education reform and social welfare programmes.
His government recently approved ₦38.69 billion for projects in education, roads and security, alongside a women’s empowerment scheme supporting thousands of beneficiaries.
Analysts say the meeting reflects Kano’s importance as Nigeria’s most populous state and a key commercial centre where reliable fuel supply is critical to economic activity.
They add that it could lead to more structured cooperation between the NMDPRA and the state government on issues such as depot rehabilitation, distribution efficiency, and consumer protection in the downstream sector.
