Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Nentawe Yilwatda… Meet Nigeria’s Newly Appointed Ministers

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The Federal Government has announced the appointment of new ministers as part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration restructuring. This comes after a recent reshuffling of ministries and ministerial portfolios aimed at enhancing government efficiency.

The appointments were disclosed in a statement released by the presidency after the Federal Executive Council meeting held on Wednesday, October 23rd.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the immediate implementation of eight far-reaching actions to reinvigorate the administration’s capacity for optimal efficiency, pursuant to his commitment to deliver on his promises to Nigerians,” the statement read.

According to the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the reshuffle led to the dismissal of Uju-Ken Ohanenye as Minister of Women Affairs, Lola Ade-John as Minister of Tourism, Tahir Mamman as Minister of Education, Abdullahi Gwarzo as Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, and Jamila Ibrahim as Minister of Youth Development. In their place, Bianca OdumegwuOjukwu was nominated as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, while Nentawe Yilwatda was appointed Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.

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“The President thanked the outgoing members of the Federal Executive Council for their service to the nation and wished them well in their future endeavours,” Bayo Onanuga stated. “He also charged the the newly appointed ministers as well as their reassigned colleagues to see their appointment as a call to serve the nation.”

Meet the newly appointed ministers below:

Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda – Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction

Born on August 8, 1968, in Plateau State, Nentawe holds degrees in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, a Master’s in Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Digital Systems Engineering.

He has served as a project consultant for various government initiatives, including Nigeria’s first Integrated Financial Management Information System and the Nigeria Education and Research Network project. He was previously the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State (2023)

Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi – Minister of Labour and Employment

Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, born in 1953 in Dingyadi, Sokoto State, is a seasoned politician and academic. He completed his secondary education at Government College, Sokoto, and graduated from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 1978.

Mohammed represented Bodinga Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and has served as Secretary to the Sokoto State Government. He was also the Chairman of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) in Abuja. In 2019, he was appointed Minister of Police Affairs by the former President, Muhammadu Buhari

Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu – Minister of State for Foreign Affairs

Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu is a politician, diplomat, lawyer, businesswoman, and former beauty queen. Born on August 5, 1968, she is the wife of the late Biafran leader Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.

Educated at prestigious institutions such as Ackworth School and Cambridge, she earned a master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from Alfonso X el Sabio University in Spain. Bianca previously served as Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Affairs under President Goodluck Jonathan and has held ambassadorial roles in Ghana and Spain.

Jumoke Oduwole (Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment)

Jumoke Oduwole is an academic and former government adviser. Currently a Senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, she previously served as Special Adviser to the former president on Ease of Doing Business, helping Nigeria significantly improve its position in the World Bank’s Doing Business Report.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of Lagos and advanced degrees from Cambridge and Stanford. She has extensive experience in corporate banking and serves on various board.

Yusuf Abdullahi Ata – Minister of Housing and Urban Development

Born on June 22, 1962, in Fagge, Kano State, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata completed his secondary education at Kano Community Commercial College and earned a degree in Economics from Bayero University, Kano.

Ata was first elected to the Kano State House of Assembly in 1999 and served three terms, becoming Speaker in 2021 after the previous speaker’s resignation

Suwaiba Said Ahmad – Minister of State for Education

Suwaiba Said Ahmad is an experienced educationist and gender advocate. She has held various academic roles, including level coordinator, examination officer, and Head of the Science Education Department.

Her consultancy work focuses on governance, political economy, and capacity building. Suwaiba has led funded research projects for organizations like the British Council and the Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL).

Idi Mukhtar Maiha – Minister of Livestock Development

Idi is a former Managing Director of the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemicals Company and the CEO of Zaidi Farms, known for its best practices in animal husbandry.

Ministers Reassigned

The following ministers have been reassigned to new portfolios:

  • Yusuf Tanko Sununu – From Minister of State for Education to Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
  • Dr. Morufu Olatunji Alausa – From Minister of State for Health to Minister of Education.
  • Bello Muhammad Goronyo – From Minister of State for Water Resources to Minister of State for Works.
  • Abubakar Eshiokpekha Momoh – From Minister of Niger Delta Development to Minister of Regional Development.
  • Uba Maigari Ahmadu – From Minister of State for Steel Development to Minister of State for Regional Development.
  • Doris Uzoka-Anite – From Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment to Minister of State for Finance.
  • John Owan Enoh – From Minister of Sports Development to Minister of State for Trade and Investment.
  • Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim – From Minister of State for Police Affairs to Minister of Women Affairs.
  • Ayodele Olawande – From Minister of State for Youth Development to Minister for Youth Development.
  • Dr. Salako Iziaq Adekunle Adeboye – From Minister of State for Environment to Minister of State for Health.

Ministers Discharged

The following ministers were discharged from their positions:

  • Uju-Ken Ohanenye – Minister of Women Affairs.
  • Lola Ade-John – Minister of Tourism.
  • Tahir Mamman SAN OON – Minister of Education.
  • Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo – Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development.
  • Jamila Bio Ibrahim – Minister of Youth Development.

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