Today, the 45 ministers appointed by President Bola Tinubu will take their oath of office and begin their duties in their respective ministries.
The new cabinet is expected to follow the eight-point agenda of the President as outlined in his election manifesto, ‘Renewed Hope 2023 – Action Plan for a Better Nigeria.’
According to sources from the Presidency, the President will likely set targets and performance indicators for the ministers to measure their impact on the economy, security, and other key sectors. The sources also revealed that the priority focus of the Federal Government will be on the economy and security, as the country faces various challenges in these areas.
The President announced the portfolios of the ministers on August 18, 2023, nine days after they were confirmed by the Senate. He also created new ministries and renamed some existing ones to reflect his vision for the country.
Some of the new ministries are the Ministry of Marine and Blue Technology, headed by Adegboyegba Oyetola; and divided the Ministry of Petroleum Resources into two. Ministers of State in the Oil & Gas sector are now domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources with Heineken Lokpobiri as the Minister of State (Oil), Petroleum Resources and Ekperipe Ekpo as the Hon. Minister of State (Gas), Petroleum Resources.
The President also divided the Ministry of Petroleum Resources into two. Ministers of State in the Oil & Gas sector are now domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources with Heineken Lokpobiri as the Minister of State (Oil), Petroleum Resources and Ekperipe Ekpo as the Hon. Minister of State (Gas), Petroleum Resources.
The President’s manifesto, which was released on October 20, 2022, contained multi-sectoral policy options for national security, economy, agriculture, power, oil and gas, transportation, education, healthcare, judicial reform, federalism, decentralization of power, foreign policy, and total transformation of the country.
The document also included programs on decent wages for workers, manufacturing, naira stability, and women empowerment.
In a statement that accompanied the release of the manifesto, Tinubu said that he aimed to build on his achievements as the former governor of Lagos State and foster a new society based on shared prosperity, tolerance, compassion, and respect for each citizen.
“What my team and I achieved in Lagos, together we all can achieve for Nigeria. Our objective is to foster a new society based on shared prosperity, tolerance, compassion, and the unwavering commitment to treating each citizen with equal respect and due regard,” Tinubu said.
However, less than 15 hours before the inauguration of the ministers, the President made some changes to his cabinet. He renamed the Federal Ministry of Environment and Ecological Management as the Federal Ministry of Environment. He also appointed Abubakar Momoh as Niger Delta minister and re-assigned Adegboyegba Oyetola to the Ministry of Marine and Blue Technology. Momoh was initially appointed as the Minister for Youth. The Federal Ministry of Youth is to be reassigned to a minister-designate soon.
A statement by the spokesman for the President, Nugi Ngelari, said that the changes were made to ensure optimal performance and delivery of the President’s agenda.
“The President has made these adjustments to ensure that his cabinet reflects his vision and mission for a better Nigeria. He urges all Nigerians to support his ministers as they work together to achieve our common goals,” Ngelari said.
