Tinubu Sacks Six Ministers, Appoints New Nominees and Restructures Ministries

President Bola Tinubu has dismissed six ministers from his cabinet and submitted the names of seven new ministerial nominees to the National Assembly to fill the vacancies. The changes were announced following a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Among the ministers relieved of their duties are Prof. Tahir Mamman (Education), Uju Kennedy Ohanenye (Women Affairs), Mohammad Gwarzo (State for Housing), Jamila Ibrahim (Youth Development), Lola Ade-John (Tourism), and suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Betta Edu. The government has not disclosed the status of Edu but has appointed Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda as her replacement in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.

Additionally, the President has appointed Shehu Dikko as Chairman of the National Sports Commission, overseeing the activities of the now-defunct Ministry of Sports Development. Other notable appointments include:

• Bianca Ojukwu, nominated as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
• Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi as Minister of Labour and Employment.
• Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment.
• Idi Mukhtar Maiha as Minister of Livestock Development.
• Rt. Hon. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata as Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development.
• Suwaiba Said Ahmad, Minister of State for Education.

During the briefing, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, stated that ten ministers were also reassigned to new portfolios. The reassignments include:

• Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu as Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs.
• Dr. Morufu Olatunji Alausa as Minister of Education.
• Bello Muhammad Goronyo as Minister of State for Works.
• Abubakar Momoh now serves as Minister of Regional Development.
• Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim becomes Minister of Women Affairs.
• Ayodele Olawande is appointed Minister for Youth Development.

The President outlined eight key actions aimed at improving the administration’s efficiency, including the renaming of the Ministry of Niger Delta Development to the Ministry of Regional Development. This new ministry will oversee the activities of regional development commissions, such as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and others.

The Ministry of Sports Development will be wound up, with its responsibilities transferred to the National Sports Commission to foster a robust sports economy. Furthermore, the Federal Ministries of Tourism and Arts and Culture will merge to form the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy.

Tinubu expressed gratitude to the outgoing ministers for their service and urged the new appointees to view their roles as an opportunity to serve the nation, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to driving Nigeria towards sustainable growth.

Engr. Abubakar Momoh, head of the newly formed Ministry of Regional Development, clarified that the NDDC is still operational and will now fall under the new ministry’s jurisdiction, aiming to enhance regional development activities across the country.