In a departure from past practices, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has assigned portfolios to the 45 minister-designates whose nominations were recently confirmed by the Senate. This move comes ahead of their scheduled inauguration on Monday. The decision to allocate ministries prior to the inauguration represents a change from the previous tradition of assigning portfolios on the day of inauguration.
The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) welcomed this proactive approach, lauding the president’s decision to release the ministerial portfolios. Mr. Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, Director-General of NECA, commended the allocation of ministries and called on the ministers to quickly immerse themselves in their roles to drive economic renaissance in the country.
Oyerinde emphasized that the incoming ministers are assuming their positions at a critical juncture when focused interventions are urgently needed to address the nation’s challenges. He expressed particular satisfaction with the portfolios assigned to certain ministers, including Mr. Wale Edun (Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy), Mr. Solomon Lalong (Labour and Employment), and Mr. Nyesom Wike (Federal Capital Territory).
Minister of State for the FCT went to Mairiga Mahmud; Minister of State, Water Resources and Sanitation, Bello Goronyo; Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari; Minister of Education, Tahir Maman; Minister of Interior, Saidu Alkali; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar; Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate; and Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Geidam.
Others were Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu Audu; Minister of State for Steel Development, Maigari Ahmadu; Minister of Information and National orientation, Muhammed Idris; Attorney of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi; Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong; Minister of State for Police Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim; Minster of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Zephaniah Jisalo; Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Joseph Utsev; and Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyi Sabi Abdullahi.
NECA’s Director-General highlighted the importance of the ministers promptly constituting boards and committees under their purview to ensure the effective functioning of the government and their respective ministries. The organization stressed that the appointed ministers carry the weight of high expectations from the Nigerian people and urged them not to disappoint.
The official swearing-in ceremony for the ministers is set to take place on Monday, with President Tinubu presiding over the event at the State House Conference Centre in Aso Villa, Abuja. This step marks the formal commencement of their duties as members of the Nigerian government.
