…New ministers replace Adelabu, Tuggar who resigned to pursue political careers_
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday swore in two new ministers at the Presidential Villa, filling key cabinet positions vacated by officials who stepped down to pursue political ambitions.
Mr Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe was sworn in as Minister of Power, while Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye assumed office as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. The brief ceremony was attended by the ministers’ spouses and senior government officials.
The appointments followed the resignations of Chief Adebayo Adelabu, former Minister of Power, and Yusuf Tuggar, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, who left to advance their political careers. President Tinubu nominated Tegbe and Enikanolaiye, and the Senate cleared both nominees on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.
*Tegbe takes over power sector with reform pedigree*
The new Minister of Power, born in Ibadan, Oyo State, brings over 35 years of experience in fiscal, economic and institutional reform. A civil engineer by training, he holds a First Class degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, an MBA from Switzerland, and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Birmingham.
Before his appointment, Tegbe was Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG Africa, where he led the design and implementation of major presidential reforms and subnational government strategies. He has also worked on fiscal policy restructuring across all levels of government and consulted for the Nigerian Communications Commission, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, Nigeria Revenue Service, Shell, Huawei, General Electric, MTN, and Odu’a Group, among others.
With Nigeria’s power sector facing challenges of generation, transmission and metering, Tegbe’s background in reform and stakeholder engagement is expected to shape the next phase of the administration’s energy agenda.
*Career diplomat Enikanolaiye returns to foreign affairs*
Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, from Igbagun, Kogi State, returns to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 9 years after retiring as Permanent Secretary in 2017. He joined the foreign service in August 1982 and rose through the ranks, serving in Nigeria’s missions in Addis Ababa, Belgrade, Ottawa, London, and as Head of Mission in New Delhi.
A First Class graduate of Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he won the Dean’s Prize, he also holds a Master’s degree with Distinction in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos. He is a recipient of the Presidential Civil Service Merit Award, Presidential Distinguished Public Service Career Award, and is a Distinguished Fellow of the National Defence College.
Until his appointment, Enikanolaiye served as Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Foreign Affairs and International Relations in the Office of the Chief of Staff.
With the President’s renewed focus on economic diplomacy and regional stability, the new Minister of State is expected to support Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives on the global stage.
