President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday swore in two new ministers at the Presidential Villa, filling key vacancies in the Federal Executive Council.
Mr Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe takes over as Minister of Power, while Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye becomes Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
The brief ceremony was attended by the ministers’ spouses and senior government officials.
The appointments follow the resignations of former Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar and Power Minister Chief Adebayo Adelabu, who both stepped down to pursue political careers. The Senate cleared the nominees on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.
Tegbe, born in Ibadan, Oyo State, comes with over 35 years’ experience in fiscal, economic, and institutional reform. He holds a First Class degree in Civil Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, an MBA from Switzerland, and a Master’s in Public Administration from Birmingham.
A former Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG Africa, Tegbe led the design and implementation of major presidential reforms and subnational strategies. He has worked with institutions including the Nigerian Communications Commission, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Nigeria Revenue Service, Shell, Huawei, General Electric, MTN, and Odu’a Group.
His appointment comes at a time when the power sector continues to grapple with supply gaps, tariff adjustments, and investor confidence challenges.
*Veteran diplomat returns in new role*
Ambassador Enikanolaiye, from Igbagun in Kogi State, brings a 35-year career in Nigeria’s foreign service. He earned a First Class degree in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University, winning the Dean’s Prize, and later obtained a Distinction in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos.
He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1982, rose to Director, and served as Permanent Secretary from 2016 until his retirement in August 2017. His diplomatic postings included Addis Ababa, Belgrade, Ottawa, London, and New Delhi, where he was Nigeria’s Head of Mission.
Before his ministerial appointment, Enikanolaiye served as Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Foreign Affairs and International Relations in the Office of the Chief of Staff. He is a recipient of the Presidential Civil Service Merit Award, the Presidential Distinguished Public Service Career Award, and is a Distinguished Fellow of the National Defence College.
The Presidencybin a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on information and strategy said the new appointments are aimed at strengthening policy delivery in power and foreign affairs as the administration pushes ahead with its reform agenda.
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