A leadership change has taken place in Nigeria’s foreign affairs ministry as President Bola Tinubu approved the appointment of Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Minister of Foreign Affairs following the resignation of Yusuf Tuggar.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, noting that Tuggar stepped down from the role to pursue political ambitions ahead of the 2027 elections.
Before her new appointment, Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu served as Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In a related move, the President also nominated Sola Enikanolaiye as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, pending confirmation by the Senate.
Until his nomination, Enikanolaiye, who hails from Kogi State, worked as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations.
He is described as a veteran diplomat with more than three decades of experience in Nigeria’s foreign service, having served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and represented the country in key diplomatic missions in Addis Ababa, Belgrade, Ottawa, London, and New Delhi.
According to Onanuga, the appointments form part of broader efforts by the administration to strengthen Nigeria’s foreign policy framework, improve efficiency, deepen strategic engagement, and build stronger international partnerships.
He added that President Tinubu congratulates the appointees and urged them to work diligently to promote Nigeria’s national interest, advance economic diplomacy, foster regional stability, and safeguard the welfare of Nigerians at home and abroad.