Tinubu Elevates Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu to Foreign Affairs Minister, Nominates Enikanolaiye as Minister of State

By Iyojo Ameh

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Nigeria’s substantive Minister of Foreign Affairs following the resignation of Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, who stepped down to pursue political ambitions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The appointment was announced on Wednesday in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu, who previously served as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, will now assume full leadership of the ministry, taking charge of Nigeria’s diplomatic engagements and foreign policy direction.

In a related development, President Tinubu also nominated Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, subject to confirmation by the Senate.

Until his nomination, Enikanolaiye, from Kogi State, served as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations.

A career diplomat with more than three decades of service, he has held several strategic positions in Nigeria’s foreign service, including Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with diplomatic postings in Addis Ababa, Belgrade, Ottawa, London, and New Delhi.

The Presidency said the appointments are part of ongoing efforts to reposition Nigeria’s foreign policy architecture for greater efficiency, stronger international partnerships, and enhanced economic diplomacy.

President Tinubu congratulated both appointees and urged them to promote Nigeria’s national interest, strengthen regional stability, deepen international cooperation, and safeguard the welfare of Nigerians at home and abroad.