Following growing calls for President Bola Tinubu to reshuffle his cabinet, the former Lagos State governor dismissed five of his ministers on Wednesday. In addition to the dismissals, the President reassigned ten ministers to new portfolios and nominated seven new ministers for Senate confirmation.

Tinubu, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had appointed 48 ministers in August 2023, just three months after his inauguration. The Senate promptly screened and confirmed the appointees. However, in January, one of the ministers, Betta Edu, was suspended, while another, Simon Lalong, transitioned to the Senate.

There has been increasing pressure on the President to reorganise his cabinet, with many Nigerians expressing dissatisfaction with the performance of several ministers, particularly amid worsening inflation, a severe economic crisis, and escalating insecurity.

In September, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga hinted at a possible reshuffle but did not specify a timeline.

During Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, President Tinubu dismissed Uju-Ken Ohanenye as Minister of Women’s 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.

The President subsequently nominated Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Nentawe Yilwatda as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, officially ending the suspended Betta Edu’s tenure. Other nominations included Maigari Dingyadi as Minister of Labour and Employment, Jumoke Oduwole as Minister of Industry, Idi Maiha as Minister for the newly created Ministry of Livestock Development, Yusuf Ata as Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, and Suwaiba Ahmad as Minister of State for Education.

Earlier in the day, President Tinubu also announced the dissolution of the Ministry of Niger Delta Development, replacing it with the Ministry of Regional Development, which will oversee all regional development commissions. These commissions include the Niger Delta Development Commission, South East Development Commission, North East Development Commission, and North West Development Commission.

In a similar move, the President abolished the Ministry of Sports Development, transferring its responsibilities to the National Sports Commission, tasked with fostering a vibrant sports economy. Additionally, Tinubu approved the merger of the Ministry of Tourism with the Ministry of Arts and Culture, creating the Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy.

The reshuffle also saw the return of Sunday Dare, who previously served as Minister of Sports during the Muhammadu Buhari administration, in a new role.

“Shehu Dikko has been appointed Chairman of the National Sports Commission, while Sunday Akin Dare has been named Special Adviser to the President on Public Communication and Orientation, working from the Ministry of Information and National Orientation,” the President announced.

President Tinubu expressed his appreciation to the outgoing members of the Federal Executive Council for their service to the nation and wished them success in their future endeavours. He urged the newly appointed and reassigned ministers to view their roles as an opportunity to serve the nation and stressed the administration’s commitment to setting Nigeria on an irreversible path to growth. He called on all appointees to give their best efforts towards achieving the government’s priorities.