President Bola Tinubu has officially sworn in seven newly appointed ministers during a ceremony held at the Council Chambers of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The ceremony followed their nominations and subsequent confirmations by the Senate.
The newly appointed ministers include:
- Nentawe Yilwatda: Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction
- Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi: Minister of Labour and Employment
- Bianca Odinaka Odumegwu-Ojukwu: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
- Jumoke Oduwole: Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment
- Idi Mukhtar Maiha: Minister of Livestock Development
- Yusuf Abdullahi Ata: Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development
- Suwaiba Said Ahmad: Minister of State for Education
In his address to the new ministers, President Tinubu emphasized the importance of their roles, stating, “Nigeria’s head is above water; this ship will not sink. We will not shy away from our responsibilities.”
He expressed pride in leading the new ministers and asserted that they would work together toward achieving success and prosperity. He remarked, “We have taken the bull by the horns and have stopped the scavengers and profiteers.”
The swearing-in ceremony took place just days after President Tinubu made the appointments in response to growing calls for a reshuffle of his cabinet, driven by Nigeria’s declining economic conditions that have adversely affected living standards across the country.
In October, the president acted on these calls by dismissing five ministers, including:
- Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye (Women Affairs)
- Lola Ade-John (Tourism)
- Tahir Mamman (Education)
- Abdullahi Gwarzo (State for Housing and Urban Development)
- Jamila Ibrahim (Youth Development)
Alongside these dismissals, ten other ministers were reassigned new portfolios.
President Tinubu initially formed a 48-member cabinet in August 2023, shortly after his inauguration.
While the Senate quickly screened and confirmed these ministers, there were some controversies, including the suspension of Betta Edu, who was in charge of the Humanitarian Ministry, due to corruption allegations.
As part of the recent cabinet reshuffle, Tinubu also dissolved two ministries: the Ministry of Niger Delta Development and the Ministry of Sports Development.
In place of the dissolved Niger Delta Development Ministry, he introduced the Ministry of Regional Development, which will oversee the operations of various development commissions, including:
- Niger Delta Development Commission
- South East Development Commission
- North East Development Commission
- North West Development Commission
The functions of the former Ministry of Sports Development have been transferred to the National Sports Commission (NSC), which has been tasked with fostering a vibrant sports economy.
Additionally, the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Arts and Culture have been merged to create a new entity: the Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy.
