Tinubu swears in Taiwo Oyedele as Finance Minister, showers him with praise

Politics

ABUJA, NIGERIA — (NPA) March 16, 2026 — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sworn in Taiwo Oyedele as Minister of State for Finance, following his confirmation by the Senate last week.

Tinubu praised Oyedele, who previously chaired the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, describing his appointment as a vote of confidence. In a statement by Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga, the President commended Oyedele’s expertise in tax policy, which helped shape reforms aimed at simplifying Nigeria’s tax system, expanding revenue, and fostering a business-friendly environment.

Tinubu said: “We are very proud of your knowledge, your simplicity, ambition, and excellence. I congratulate your wife for standing up to our challenge of time management and long hours of absence. This is additional responsibility, and I hope you will encourage and support him. Thank you for accepting to serve your country, especially for reforming the entire tax policy of this country that was obsolete and fundamentally against every progressive thinking. You are a very dedicated and highly determined individual. It didn’t take much for me to decide where you fit and where you need to be to further help with the economy. It is a very challenging job because we look at the fiscal policy and responsibility that come with it at the time that economic stability is being experienced, but without exponential growth. It’s always very difficult, but you are fit to be there.”

Oyedele brings a strong academic and professional background to the role. An alumnus of the London School of Economics, Yale University, the Gordon Institute of Business Science, and Harvard Kennedy School, he spent 22 years at PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC). He is also a professor at Babcock University and a visiting scholar at Lagos Business School.