Tinubu appoints Ojukwu as new Foreign Affairs Minister

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Her elevation comes on the heels of the resignation of Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, who stepped down from the cabinet to focus on his political aspirations in Bauchi state ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who until now served as the Minister of State in the same ministry, brings an established diplomatic pedigree to the role.

To fill the vacancy created by her promotion, the President has nominated a veteran diplomat, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, as the new Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, pending confirmation by the Senate.

The nomination of Enikanolaiye is seen as a strategic move to inject deep institutional memory into the ministry.

A native of Kogi State and currently the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Enikanolaiye boasts over 30 years of experience in the foreign service.

His distinguished career includes a tenure as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and various high-level postings in key global capitals, including London, Ottawa, Belgrade, New Delhi, and Addis Ababa.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President emphasized that these appointments are central to his administration’s goal of repositioning Nigeria’s foreign policy for more robust strategic engagement.

He charged the new appointees to prioritize economic diplomacy and regional stability while ensuring that the welfare of Nigerians in the diaspora remains a focal point of the nation’s global outreach.