In a cabinet shake-up, President Bola Tinubu has given the green light to a series of ministerial reassignments, including the reinstatement of the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Development. Engr. Abubakar Momoh, formerly with the Federal Ministry of Youth, has been redeployed to oversee the Niger Delta Ministry.
The Federal Ministry of Youth, meanwhile, is set to undergo a new leadership change, with a Minister-Designate in line for reassignment. This move comes in conjunction with a broader realignment that affects key ministries such as Transportation, Interior, and Marine & Blue Economy. The reshuffle unfolds as follows:
(A) Adegboyega Oyetola steps into the role of Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy.
(B) Bunmi Tunji-Ojo takes on the mantle of Honourable Minister of Interior.
(C) Sa’idu Alkali assumes the position of Honourable Minister of Transportation.
Adding further complexity to the reshuffle, both Ministers of State in the Oil & Gas sector find themselves integrated into the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources. Their roles are defined as follows:
(i) Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri is now the Hon. Minister of State (Oil), Petroleum Resources.
(ii) Hon. Ekperipe Ekpo holds the position of Hon. Minister of State (Gas), Petroleum Resources.
In addition, President Tinubu grants approval for the renaming of the Federal Ministry of Environment and Ecological Management. It will now be known as the Federal Ministry of Environment.
All the aforementioned changes take effect immediately, per the directives of the President. This development was confirmed by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), in a statement released on August 20, 2023. The reshuffle is anticipated to have a noteworthy impact on various sectors, prompting speculation about the administration's strategic focus in the coming months.
