President Bola Tinubu on Monday swore in Mr Joseph Tegbe as the new Minister of Power and Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs during a ceremony held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The appointments followed the resignation of two cabinet members who left office ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary elections scheduled for May 2026.
According to a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the swearing-in ceremony took place at the Council Chamber and was attended by family members of the appointees as well as top government officials.
Tinubu nominated Tegbe and Enikanolaiye on May 5, 2026, after the former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, resigned to pursue elective political positions.
The Senate screened and confirmed both nominees on May 6.
ALSO READ: “We will never succumb to terror”—Tinubu vows
Their inauguration makes them the second set of ministers to join the Federal Executive Council since Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr. Muttaqha Darma, directed ministers seeking political offices to resign before the APC primaries through a circular issued in March 2026.
📢 Stay Updated — Join Our WhatsApp Channel
💬 Be Part of Our WhatsApp Community
Join our WhatsApp Channel for curated updates, breaking stories, and exclusive insights from our newsroom.
📲 Join 👉 NRTC WhatsApp Channel
Darma himself was sworn in as Minister of Housing and Urban Development on April 30, 2026, succeeding Dr Ahmed Dangiwa. His appointment came during a cabinet restructuring that also saw the departure of former Finance Minister Wale Edun, who was replaced by Taiwo Oyedele.
Before his latest appointment, Enikanolaiye served as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations. He now occupies the position left vacant after Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu was elevated to substantive Minister of Foreign Affairs following Tuggar’s resignation.
A native of Igbagun in Kogi State, Enikanolaiye spent 35 years in Nigeria’s diplomatic service. He graduated with a First Class degree in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he received the Dean’s Prize for outstanding academic performance. He later earned a distinction in his Master’s degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos.
ALSO READ: NDC orders full disclosure of campaign funds
He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in August 1982 and advanced through the ranks to become Director before his appointment as Permanent Secretary in 2016. He retired from the civil service on August 4, 2017.
Throughout his diplomatic career, he served in missions located in Addis Ababa, Belgrade, Ottawa, London and New Delhi, eventually becoming Nigeria’s Head of Mission in India. His achievements have been recognised with honours including the Presidential Civil Service Merit Award, the Presidential Distinguished Public Service Career Award and recognition as a Distinguished Fellow of the National Defence College.
Tegbe, who hails from Ibadan in Oyo State, brings more than three decades of experience spanning both the public and private sectors to the Ministry of Power.
He earned a First Class degree in Civil Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University and later obtained a Master of Business Administration in Switzerland as well as a Master of Public Administration from the University of Birmingham.
His professional career includes serving as Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG Africa, where he contributed to the design and implementation of major government reforms and fiscal restructuring initiatives at both federal and state levels.
Tegbe has also worked with several key organisations, including the Nigerian Communications Commission, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, the Nigeria Revenue Service, Shell, Huawei, General Electric and MTN. Prior to his appointment, he served as Director-General and Global Liaison of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership.
ALSO READ: “Crime has no ethnicity”- Obi condemns media stereotyping, urges national unity
Tinubu initially constituted his cabinet on August 21, 2023, when he inaugurated 45 ministers at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja, marking the largest one-day cabinet inauguration since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999.
The administration carried out its first major cabinet reshuffle in October 2024 and has since implemented several changes involving ministerial replacements, portfolio reassignments and new appointments.
With the latest swearing-in, the administration has now recorded at least a dozen cabinet changes since the Federal Executive Council was first constituted in August 2023.
🔍 Explore More
- NRTC English Knowledge Base – Learn, improve, and sharpen your English skills.
- Top Stories From Around the World – Stay informed with the latest global news and insights.
- Specially Curated Listicles – Discover interesting lists, guides, and deep dives selected for our readers.
- Stay Updated: Join our mailing list and never miss the latest articles and updates from NRTC.
