President Bola Tinubu on Monday formally inaugurated two new members of the Federal Executive Council, swearing in Mr. Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe as Minister of Power and Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
The ceremony, held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, was attended by family members of the appointees, senior government officials and other dignitaries.
Their inauguration follows their nomination by President Tinubu and subsequent confirmation by the Senate on May 6, 2026.
The appointments became necessary following the resignations of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, who stepped down to pursue political ambitions.
A statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, highlighted the professional backgrounds and accomplishments of the newly appointed ministers.
According to the statement, Tegbe brings more than three decades of experience in economic reforms, public sector transformation and stakeholder engagement.
Born in Ibadan, Oyo State, the new Minister of Power is described as a fiscal, economic and institutional reform strategist with extensive expertise spanning both public and private sectors.
“He holds a First Class Degree in Civil Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, a Master’s degree in Business Administration (Switzerland) and a Master’s degree in Public Administration (Birmingham).”
The statement further noted that Tegbe previously served as a Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG Africa, where he spearheaded major reform initiatives and contributed to the development and implementation of strategic policies for governments.
“He worked as a Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG in Africa, where he led transformational initiatives, including the design and implementation of major presidential reforms and the articulation and implementation of a strategy for subnational governments.”
Over the course of his career, Tegbe has played significant roles in fiscal policy reforms and institutional restructuring efforts involving key public and private sector organisations.
The statement disclosed that he worked with institutions including the Nigerian Communications Commission, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Nigeria Revenue Service, Shell, Huawei, General Electric, MTN and the Odu’a Group, among others.
For Ambassador Enikanolaiye, the presidency highlighted a distinguished diplomatic career that spans more than 35 years in Nigeria’s foreign service.
A native of Igbagun in Kogi State, Enikanolaiye graduated with a First Class degree in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he emerged as the best graduating student in his faculty and received the Dean’s Prize.
“He also obtained a Master’s Degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos with Distinction.”
The statement revealed that he joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in August 1982 and steadily rose through the ranks before becoming Permanent Secretary of the ministry in 2016.
“He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in August 1982 and rose to the position of Director. He was appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry in 2016, from which he retired on 4th August 2017 after 35 years in service.”
Throughout his diplomatic career, Enikanolaiye represented Nigeria in several strategic foreign missions, serving in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Belgrade, Serbia; Ottawa, Canada; and London, United Kingdom.
His final foreign posting was as Nigeria’s Head of Mission in New Delhi, India.
The presidency also noted that the veteran diplomat has received numerous honours in recognition of his contributions to public service and international relations.
“He is a recipient of several merit awards, including the Presidential Civil Service Merit Award, the Presidential Distinguished Public Service Career Award, and a Distinguished Fellow of the National Defence College, among others.”
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 to the President.
With their formal inauguration, both ministers are expected to immediately assume responsibilities in their respective ministries as the administration continues efforts to advance reforms in the power sector and strengthen Nigeria’s foreign relations.
