President Bola Tinubu has named Professor Shu'aibu Shehu Aliyu as the new Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), replacing Ahmed Galadima Aminu who stepped down to run for governor in Adamawa State. The appointment was announced by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga in a Thursday statement. Tinubu also extended Engineer Sule Ahmed Abdulaziz's term as Managing Director of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) for a second and final stint. Both roles take effect immediately.
Professor Aliyu previously led the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education. Onanuga described him as an academic and administrator with deep experience in research, education, and leadership. The statement said Tinubu expects Aliyu to strengthen the PTDF's role in developing Nigeria's energy workforce and innovation. Engineer Abdulaziz's renewal followed performance reviews showing progress in grid stability, transmission capacity, and system upgrades under his watch. Tinubu urged both appointees to prioritize integrity and national service in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda.
Tinubu's choice of Aliyu to lead the PTDF signals a bet on education bureaucrats over industry veterans. If Aliyu delivers on capacity building, it could ease Nigeria's perpetual oil sector brain drain—but only if he escapes the usual PTDF patronage politics. Abdulaziz's renewal suggests Tinubu rewards tangible grid improvements, yet TCN's chronic inefficiencies won't vanish with one term extension. Neither appointment addresses the structural flaws that keep Nigeria importing fuel and rationing electricity.
