Tinubu appoints Edun finance minister, Keyamo, aviation, Wike, FCT as ministers get portfolio

Government
President Bola Tinubu

Minister to be sworn in Monday

Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has appointed banker Olawale Edun as minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, while he put human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Festus Keyamo in charge of aviation ministry as he assigned portfolio to his cabinet nominees.

The names and portfolios of the cabinet members to be inaugurated on Monday, August 21, 2023, were listed in a statement released on Wednesday from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

Edun, 62, one of Tinubu’s closest advisers and a member of his economic team that helped prepare his election manifesto, had long been tipped to become finance minister in Africa’s biggest economy.

Before Wednesday’s appointment, Edun was a special adviser to Tinubu on monetary policy.

Also, the president, with 45 cabinet members, chose Mohammed Badaru as defence minister and Yusuf Tuggar as foreign affairs minister. Both will take on the task of working with the regional bloc ECOWAS to find a solution to the crisis in Niger where a military junta has seized power.

Tinubu won a disputed February presidential election, which is being challenged by his main opponents in court.

He has embarked on some of the boldest reforms that Nigeria has seen in years, including scrapping a popular but costly petrol subsidy and removing exchange rate restrictions. The naira has weakened to record lows.

The reforms are a gamble to try to kick-start growth but inflation has soared, worsening a cost of living crisis for Africa’s most populous nation, a big headache for Tinubu and his new ministers.

Nigeria’s inflation rose to an 18-year high in July. The country also faces widespread insecurity, mounting debt burden, high unemployment and slow growth which has stoked tension among the population already struggling with a high cost of living.

ALSO READ: Nigeria inflation rises to 18-year high amid cost-of-living crisis

Nigeria’s Senate cleared the nominees last week, paving the way for their swearing-in next Monday, the government said in a statement.

FULL LIST OF MINISTERS AND PORTFOLIOS

Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani

Minister of State, Environment and Ecological Management, Ishak Salako

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun

Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Bunmi Tunji

Minister of Power, Adedayo Adelabu

Minister of State, Health and Social Welfare, Tunji Alausa

Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake

Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John

Minister of Transportation, Adegboyega Oyetola

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Anite

Minister of Innovation Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji

Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejeocha

Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy

Minister of Works, David Umahi

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo

Minister of Youth, Abubakar Momoh

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu

Minister of State, Gas Resources, Ekperikpe Ekpo

Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri

Minister of Sports Development, John Enoh

Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike

Minister of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa

Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru

Minister of State Defence, Bello Matawalle

Minister of State Education, Yusuf T. Sunumu

Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed M. Dangiwa

Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development, Abdullah T. Gwarzo

Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu

Minister of Environment and Ecological Management, (Kaduna)

Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, Mairiga Mahmud
Minister of State, Water Resources and Sanitation, Bello M. Goronyo

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari

Minister of Education, Tahir Maman

Minister of Interior, Sa’Idu A. Alkali

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf M. Tuggar

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate

Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam

Minister of State, Steel Development, U. Maigari Ahmadu

Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu A. Audu

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi

Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon B. Lalong

Minister of State, Police Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim

Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Govermental Affairs, Zephaniah Jisalo

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev

Minister of State, Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi.