President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a strategic redeployment of top administrative leadership within the Federal Civil Service.
The reshuffle was formalized during a handover ceremony in Abuja on Friday, March 13, 2026, where the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Steel Development, Dr. Isokpunwu Christopher Osaruwanwem, and his counterpart at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ambassador Nura Abba Rimi, officially exchanged portfolios.
During the transition, Dr. Osaruwanwem reflected on his tenure as the pioneer Permanent Secretary of the Steel Ministry, emphasizing the foundational work done to establish institutional structures aimed at reducing Nigeria’s reliance on imported steel.
He noted that a functional steel base is the non-negotiable pillar of national industrialization and expressed confidence that Ambassador Rimi’s extensive diplomatic and public service experience would drive the sector toward greater productivity.
He urged the ministry’s staff to maintain the same spirit of cooperation that characterized his leadership as he moves to oversee the broader trade and investment portfolio.
Ambassador Rimi, in his remarks, described the President’s decision as a timely intervention that leverages the combined expertise of both administrators to strengthen service delivery.
With over thirty years in the foreign service, the Ambassador pledged to build upon the established roadmap for the steel sector while praising the leadership of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole.
The ceremony, which featured goodwill messages from departmental directors highlighting the synergy between the two ministries, culminated in the formal signing of handover documents, signaling a new chapter in the nation’s drive toward sustainable industrial growth.
