By Felix Onuah
ABUJA (Reuters) – Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has reshuffled his 45-member cabinet, naming seven new members, sacking five and swapping 10 others, a spokesperson said on Wednesday.
Tinubu’s lightning reform push after taking office last year had sparked hope that his administration would be an antidote to mounting economic troubles facing Africa’s top energy producer.
But 16 months after, the key planks of his economic overhaul – devaluing the naira and slashing petrol and electricity subsidies – have sent inflation soaring to 32.70%, triggering the worst cost-of-living crisis that has roiled citizens.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said in the reshuffle, Tinubu appointed new ministers for humanitarian and poverty reduction, trade and investment, labour, livestock development and junior ministers for foreign affairs, education and housing.
Key cabinet members including the ministers of finance, defence, national planning and two junior energy ministers all retained their positions.
But the ministers for education, tourism, women affairs, youth development and the junior housing minister were sacked, Onanuga said.
“The President thanked the outgoing members of the Federal Executive Council for their service to the nation while wishing them the best in their future endeavours,” Onanuga said.
Tinubu has yet to appoint a substantive petroleum minister.
(Reporting by Felix Onuah; Writing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
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