President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially sworn in Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as the new Minister of Power and Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye as the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. The ceremony took place on Monday, June 8, 2026, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, attended by the ministers' spouses and senior government officials.
Background of the Appointments
The appointments follow the resignations of former Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar and former Minister of Power Chief Adebayo Adelabu. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, announced the development via his X handle @aonanuga1956.
Academic Credentials
Tegbe holds a First Class Degree in Civil Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, along with a Master's degree in Business Administration from Switzerland and a Master's degree in Public Administration from Birmingham. Enikanolaiye earned a First Class Degree in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and won the Dean's Prize as the best student in his faculty. He also obtained a Master's Degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos with Distinction. Prior to his appointment, Enikanolaiye served as Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Foreign Affairs and International Relations in the Office of the Chief of Staff.
Public Reactions
Nigerians have expressed mixed reactions to the appointments. User @robzidy commented, "New ministers, same promises. Nigerians are no longer impressed by résumés and swearing-in ceremonies." @AbbaTsohonsoja stated, "I guess this is nothing short of misplaced priority. Nigeria needs security more than anything else." @Youthinprocess asked, "Outstanding profiles, but where is the light?" @Ferbin08 noted, "Announcing a minister is easy. Keeping the grid reliably on is hard."
Recent Appointments by Tinubu
President Tinubu recently approved six new appointments, including a new Director-General for the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development and its board members, comprising five women. He also appointed Dalhatu Abubakar as chairman of the Nigeria Commodity Exchange, along with a new board aimed at enhancing commodity trading and non-oil exports. These appointments take immediate effect, focusing on market transparency and accountability.
