Months after calls for a cabinet shake-up, President Bola Tinubu has dismissed five ministers and reassigned 10 others to new portfolios. He also nominated seven new ministers for Senate approval.
Tinubu, who appointed 48 ministers in August 2023, has faced mounting pressure to revamp his team due to public dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of issues like inflation, economic hardship, and insecurity.
On Wednesday, during a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, the President relieved Uju-Ken Ohanenye (Women Affairs), Lola Ade-John (Tourism), Tahir Mamman (Education), Abdullahi Gwarzo (Housing and Urban Development), and Jamila Ibrahim (Youth Development) of their duties. Additionally, Bianca Odumegu-Ojukwu was nominated as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, while Nentawe Yilwatda was appointed Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, officially replacing the suspended Betta Edu.
Other key nominations include Maigari Dingyadi as Minister of Labour and Employment, Jumoke Oduwole as Minister of Industry, and Idi Maiha to lead the newly formed Livestock Development Ministry. The Ministry of Sports Development was scrapped, with its responsibilities transferred to the National Sports Commission. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Niger Delta Development was replaced with the Ministry of Regional Development, tasked with overseeing all regional development commissions.
The reshuffle also brought Sunday Dare, former Sports Minister under President Buhari, back into the fold as a Special Adviser to the President on Public Communication and Orientation.
Tinubu thanked the outgoing ministers for their service, urging the new appointees to dedicate themselves fully to driving Nigeria’s progress and fulfilling the administration’s goals for growth and development.
