Tinubu unveils new ministers, as Tourism finally gets stand-alone ministry

President Bola Tinubu has unveiled his new ministers following their confirmation by the senate, last week.

The Senate last Monday, August 7, it would be recalled, confirmed 45 ministerial nominees out of the 48 nominees forwarded to it by President Bola Tinubu.

The confirmation followed the consideration and approval of the nominees during the Monday plenary.

Highlight of the Wednesday’s unveiling was the appointment of a new Minister of Tourism, a development which followed intensive clamouring by industry operators and other stakeholders in the country over the neglect of the sub- sector of the economy for decades by subsequent administrations.

Stakeholders had mounted an appeal, including intensive lobbying for a separate ministry of Tourism in the country.

The new ministry is headed by Ms Lola Ade-John, described as a banker and a seasoned Information and Technology expert.

Ms Ade-John is regarded as a leader in designing, integrating, deploying, and managing core systems for global banking institutions.

With the creation of a Tourism ministry, it is expected that more agencies and parastatals will be added to it to beef up the new ministry, in addition to the existing two agencies operating in the Old Ministry of Culture and Information.

It would be recalled that country’s immediate past minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who also oversaw affairs of Tourism, was recently officially appointed the Special adviser to the Secretary General of the United Nations World tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Zurab Pololikashvili.

The following is the complete list of 37 newly-appointed ministers and the ministers of State out of the 45 already confirmed by the senate for President Tinubu’s cabinet.

Lateef Fagbemi- Minister of Justice & Attorney General of the Federation

Nyesom Wike – FCT Minister

Mairiga Mahmud- Minister of State, FCT

Festus Keyamo – Minister of Aviation

Adebayo Adelabu – Minister of Power

Adegboyega Oyetola – Minister of Transportation

Dele Alake – Minister of Solid Minerals

Muhammed Idris – Minister of Information & National Orientation

Mohammed Badaru – Minister of Defence

Bello Mattawale-Minister of State, Defence

Abubakar Kyari- Minister of Agriculture & food Security

Abubakar Momoh- Minister of Youths

Bosun Tijani- Minister of Communications and Digital Economy

Yusuf M. Tuggar- Minister of Foreign Affairs

Wale Edun- Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of The Economy

Dave Umahi- Minister of Works

Mohammed Ali Pate- Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare

Betta Edu- Minister of Humanitarian Affairs & Poverty Alleviation

John Enoh- Minister of Sports

Bunmi Tunji-Ojo- Minister of Marine & Blue Economy

Atiku Bagudu- Minister of Budget & Economic Planning

Joseph Utsev-Minister of Water Resources & Sanitation

Shuaibu Audu- Minister of Steel Development

Sabi Abdullahi- Minister of State, Agriculture

Doris Anite- Minister of Trade & Investment

Simon Lalong- Minister of Labour & Employment

Zephaniah Jisalo- Minister of Special Duties

Adegboyega Oyetola- Minister of Transportation

Lola Ade-John- Minister of Tourism

Hannatu Musawa- Minister of Culture and Creative Economy

Tunji Alausa- Minister of State, Health & Social Welfare

Uju Kennedy- Minister of Women Affairs

Tahir Mamman- Minister of Education

Yusuf T. Sununu- Minister of State, Education

Minister of Environment-Kaduna State Nominee

Minister of Petroleum Resources – Yet to be allocated

Heineken Lokpobiri- Minister of State, Petroleum Resources

The Ministers-designate are expected to be sworn-in but on a date yet to be decided by President Tinubu.