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Update : Tinubu directs Minister to perform and restore faith in government
Cabinet members lay out priority areas
President demands performance, urges restoration of faith in govt
Ministers got the Presidential directive to perform and restore faith in government.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu spoke after 45 ministers took the oath of office and oath of allegiance before him at the State House Conference Centre, Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday.
The ministers left the venue and hit the ground running by resuming at their various ministries.
They also spoke on how they would actualise the Renewed Hope agenda.
Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, assured Nigerians on resumption at the Ministry of Finance that the discomfort as a result of the government’s bold steps to reform the economy would soon be over.
Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, said he would prioritise health security and reduce medical tourism.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, promised to restore the Abuja Master Plan and step on toes in the process if necessary.
Works Minister, Dave Umahi, said he will not jettison his national outlook.
He promised to be a hands-on minister who would not allow bureaucracy to be a spoke in his wheel.
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, said he would confront the national grid challenge and meet the universal metering of households.
Under him, he added, electricity supply will be stable and accessible.
The Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, said President Tinubu sent him to the ministry because he intended to pursue diversification.
He said: “Now if you all can sit down to analyse the global trend of economic development, you would note that hydrocarbon, that is oil, is fading out.
“The world is moving towards alternatives like gas, electric cars and the rest. So, what is the next economic growth factor? It is solid minerals.”
Marine and Blue Economy Minister, Adegboyega Oyetola, said the blue economy is estimated globally to be worth more than $1.5 trillion annually.
He said considering the size of the country’s blue economy, it should contribute to the revenue drive and provide jobs for the unemployed.
Opportunities in the sub-sector will be fully harnessed, he added.
Aviation and Aerospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo (SAN) said he would build on the existing aviation roadmap.
Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo warned para-military agencies against infractions, adding that internal security will be business unusual under his watch.
Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation Minister Betta Edu explained that she will vigorously pursue the government’s goal of lifting 133 million Nigerians out of poverty.
The ministers were sworn in in nine batches of five in alphabetical order.
But priority was accorded the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi (SAN).
His office is the only one mentioned in the Constitution.
The invitation for oath-taking preceded the reading of the resume of the ministers.
At the end of the oath-taking, the President read his address and proceeded to take a group photograph with all 45 ministers.
The inauguration was witnessed by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abass, Secretary to the Government of the Federation(SGF) Senator George Akume and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Abdulaziz Abdulrahman of Kwara State.
Others were governors, political leaders, family members of the ministers, and top government functionaries.
The President noted that the ministers came on board at a time when the country needed renewal and reforms across the sectors.
He said: “Nigerians expect you to hit the ground running just as we had promised them during our campaigns.
“With your inauguration today (yesterday), you have become ministers of the Federal Republic, not ministers of a particular state or region.
“Nigerians expect a lot and they deservedly want to see changes in their lives.
“You are now in the same boat with me, and they expect that their lives will take a new and better turn.”
Noting that the new ministers reflected the national diversity, the president said they were chosen because of their records in their various fields.
Tinubu said despite the ministers’ track records, he would be behind the wheels of the vehicle conveying Nigerians on the journey to a greater country while they serve as conductors.
His words: “In line with the constitutional obligations, the Senate has screened and confirmed 45 ministers who will superintend over the ministries of Federal Government in this administration of renewed hope.
“The men and women who have been sworn in have been carefully selected by me for their track record of excellence and achievement in the public and private sectors.
“They reflect the diversity of Nigeria and bring to their new role an assortment of experience and expertise to help guide the nation’s affairs and also continue to rebuild the nation and re-engineer all our finances and defects, building blocks of Nigeria today and the future.
“The challenges we face today are very daunting, yes. Amidst this evident challenge, we have the opportunity to implement long overdue reforms that will improve the operation of government, transform our nation’s economy and ensure peace, safety and prosperity for our people.
“These are the objectives that underpin the renewed hope agenda. These are the objectives that inspired the selection of a lot of these distinguished ladies and gentlemen ministers.
“Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, you are not a minister of a region or minister of a particular state.
“Since my inauguration on May 29, I have taken steps to begin implementing the agenda from which I campaigned and for which I received the mandate of the Nigerian people.
“With the inauguration of ministers today (yesterday), we are about to accelerate our governing efforts to move forward, highlighting our best aspiration for Nigerians. It is all about a great team. And I believe we have them here.
“It is the highest honour to be chosen to serve as the minister in the Federal Executive Council of our beloved Republic. With such high honour comes tremendous responsibility.
“In this moment of abundant promise and peril in equal measure, all of you who have been sworn in have been called to distinguish yourselves.
“All of you who have been sworn in have been called to distinguish yourselves. It is me who knows you. I delegate this authority, but the greatest number of Nigerians are highly expecting delivery, accountability and transparency.
“I expect that you will serve with integrity, dignity and deliver. I will hold you to that standard we all promised Nigerians.
“Your assignment begins immediately. As your country honours you by this call to service, you must each work to make yourself worthy in the eyes of God and all our nation’s people.
“Your highest obligation is to restore public faith in government so that our people can once again believe.
“I believe in you that the government can be a positive force for transformation and a vehicle for collective progress of this country.
“I congratulate you and welcome you to the administration of renewed hope. I wish you success in this new assignment.
“We must hold each other responsible. We have to do the job to meet the expectations of all Nigerians.
“As I said earlier on, you are not a minister of a particular state, colony, region or ethnic nationality. You are a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. God be with you and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria,”
The ministers are Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Minister of State for Labour and Employment Nkiruka Onyejeocha; Minister of State (Gas), Ministry of Petroleum Resources Ekperikpe Ekpo; Minister of State (Oil), Ministry of Petroleum Resources Heineken Lokpobiri; Minister of Women Affairs Uju Kennedy; Minister of Education Tahir Maman; Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Ali Pate; Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar; Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation Joseph Utsev and Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Abubakar Kyari.
Others are Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Betta Edu; Minister of Sports Development John Enoh; Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo (SAN); Minister of Works Dave Umahi and Minister of Niger Delta Development Abubakar Momoh.
Also in the new Federal Executive Council (FEC) are the Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dele Alake; Minister of Innovation Science and Technology Uche Nnaji; Minister of Transportation Alkali Sa’id; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Anite and Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru.
Others are Minister of State Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Gwarzo; Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mariya Mahmud; Minister of Housing and Urban Development Ahmed Dangiwa; Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa and Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu.
Others are Minister of State Education Yusuf Sunumu; Minister of Steel Development Shuaibu Audu; Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare Tunji Alausa; Minister of Tourism Lola Ade-John and Minister of State, Police Affairs Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi; Minister of Information and National Orientation Muhammed Idris; Minister of State Environment Ishak Salako; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Wale Edun and Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Bosun Tijani are the others.
Also sworn in are Minister of Interior Bunmi Tunji-Ojo; Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola; Minister of Power Adedayo Adelabu; Minister of Labour and Employment Simon Lalong and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike.
Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation Bello Goronyo; Minister of State for Steel Development Maigari Ahmadu; Minister of Police Affairs Ibrahim Geidam; Minister of State for Defense Bello Matawalle and Minster of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs Zephaniah Jisalo complete the 45.
The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, is hosting a two-day strategic meeting with commissioners, permanent secretaries, and directors of agriculture, fisheries & livestock in the nine Niger Delta states.
The meeting, which kicks off on Thursday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, would be addressed by the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, who is expected to outline his plans for a retreat and agricultural summit for the Niger Delta region in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s agrarian programme.
An invitation extended to the stakeholders by the NDDC Director of Agric and Fisheries, Dr Winifred Madume, stated that the Commission was determined to make the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal Government a reality in the Niger Delta region by ensuring food security for the people.
Recall that the NDDC Chief Executive Officer had earlier assured that the Commission would align with the President’s vision for agriculture, to ensure that agriculture served as a platform for peace and security in the Niger Delta region.
Ogbuku promised: “Any time from now, the NDDC will convene a mini-agricultural retreat for state governments and commissioners of agriculture. States in the region have their various areas of strength in agriculture. We aim to establish regional agricultural integration, which will later evolve into a regional agricultural summit where a comprehensive master plan for the region’s agriculture will be developed.”
The Managing Director affirmed that the NDDC was engaging all stakeholders to ensure harmony and cooperation in developing the hitherto neglected Niger Delta region.
Reflecting on the Federal Government’s agricultural policies, Ogbuku stressed the need to bring them home to the Niger Delta region, noting that the NDDC would continue to promote policies and programmes that enhance food security and poverty reduction in the states .
President Bola Tinubu has approved the introduction of a 15 per cent ad-valorem import duty on petrol and diesel imports into Nigeria.
The initiative is aimed at protecting local refineries and stabilising the downstream market, but it is likely to raise pump prices.
In a letter dated October 21, 2025, reported publicly on October 30, 2025, and addressed to the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Tinubu directed immediate implementation of the tariff as part of what the government described as a “market-responsive import tariff framework.”
The letter, signed by his Private Secretary, Damilotun Aderemi, and obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday, conveyed the President’s approval following a proposal by the Executive Chairman of the FIRS, Zacch Adedeji.
The proposal sought the application of a 15 per cent duty on the cost, insurance and freight value of imported petrol and diesel to align import costs with domestic market realities.
Adedeji, in his memo to the President, explained that the measure was part of ongoing reforms to boost local refining, ensure price stability, and strengthen the naira-based oil economy in line with the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda for energy security and fiscal sustainability.
“The core objective of this initiative is to operationalise crude transactions in local currency, strengthen local refining capacity, and ensure a stable, affordable supply of petroleum products across Nigeria,” Adedeji stated.
The FIRS boss also warned that the current misalignment between locally refined products and import parity pricing has created instability in the market.
“While domestic refining of petrol has begun to increase and diesel sufficiency has been achieved, price instability persists, partly due to the misalignment between local refiners and marketers,” he wrote.
He noted that import parity pricing- the benchmark for determining pump prices, often falls below cost recovery levels for local producers, particularly during foreign exchange and freight fluctuations, putting pressure on emerging domestic refineries.
Adedeji added that the government’s responsibility was now “twofold, to protect consumers and domestic producers from unfair pricing practices and collusion, while ensuring a level playing field for refiners to recover costs and attract investments.”
He argued that the new tariff framework would discourage duty-free fuel imports from undercutting domestic producers and foster a fair and competitive downstream environment.
According to projections contained in the letter, the 15 per cent import duty could increase the landing cost of petrol by an estimated N99.72 per litre.
“At current CIF levels, this represents an increment of approximately 99.72 per litre, which nudges imported landed costs toward local cost-recovery without choking supply or inflating consumer prices beyond sustainable thresholds. Even with this adjustment, estimated Lagos pump prices would remain in the range of N964.72 per litre ($0.62), still significantly below regional averages such as Senegal ($1.76 per litre), Cote d’Ivoire ($1.52 per litre), and Ghana ($1.37 per litre).”
The policy comes as Nigeria intensifies efforts to reduce dependence on imported petroleum products and ramp up domestic refining.
The 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Refinery in Lagos has commenced diesel and aviation fuel production, while modular refineries in Edo, Rivers and Imo states have started small-scale petrol refining.
However, despite these gains, petrol imports still account for up to 67 per cent of national demand.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has decorated the new Service Chiefs with their new ranks in the military to suit their new positions.
The newly decorated handlers of the nation’s Armed Forces include Lieutenant General, now General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, as Chief of Defence Staff; and Major General now Lieutenant General Emmanuel Undiendeye Undiendeye as Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI).
Others are Major General, now Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff (COAS); Air Vice Marshal, now Air Marshal Kevin Aneke as Chief of Air Staff;
Service chiefs pledge improved security, local arms production, technology use
Tinubu last Friday announced the replacement of the Service Chiefs, a move that has been attributed to the need to refocus and strengthen national security.
While commenting on his action, President Tinubu, in a post on his verified X handle, charged the new military chief helmsmen to “deepen professionalism, vigilance, and unity within our Armed Forces as they serve our nation with honour”.
Tinubu decorates Service Chiefs with new ranks
Tinubu decorates Service Chiefs
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has decorated the new Service Chiefs with their new ranks in the military to suit their new positions.
The newly decorated handlers of the nation’s Armed Forces include Lieutenant General, now General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, as Chief of Defence Staff; and Major General now Lieutenant General Emmanuel Undiendeye Undiendeye as Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI).
Others are Major General, now Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff (COAS); Air Vice Marshal, now Air Marshal Kevin Aneke as Chief of Air Staff;
Service chiefs pledge improved security, local arms production, technology use
Tinubu last Friday announced the replacement of the Service Chiefs, a move that has been attributed to the need to refocus and strengthen national security.
While commenting on his action, President Tinubu, in a post on his verified X handle, charged the new military chief helmsmen to “deepen professionalism, vigilance, and unity within our Armed Forces as they serve our nation with honour”.
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