President Bola Tinubu has nominated the chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, as Minister of State for Finance.

Oyedele replaces Dr Doris Anite-Uzoka, who has been redeployed to the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning as Minister of State, her third portfolio in the administration.

The President on Monday conveyed Oyedele’s nomination to the Senate for confirmation in a letter to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

Oyedele, 50, from Ikaram, Akoko, Ondo State, is an economist, accountant, and public policy expert who led the comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s tax system.

The committee, inaugurated in August 2023, delivered four executive bills that consolidated over 60 taxes into fewer than 10 statutes, introducing significant reforms, including a zero income tax rate for Nigerians earning N800,000 annually or less.

The Tax Reform Acts, which took effect on January 1, 2026, also exempted small businesses with turnover below N50m from company income tax, capital gains tax, and development levy.

Other provisions include a 50 per cent tax deduction for companies hiring new workers for three years, a 50 per cent deduction for wage increases to the lowest-paid employees, and a five-year corporate tax holiday for agricultural enterprises.

Oyedele attended Yaba College of Technology, where he obtained a Higher National Diploma in Accountancy and Finance, before proceeding to Oxford Brookes University for a BSc in Applied Accounting.

He also completed executive education programmes at the London School of Economics, Yale University, the Gordon Institute of Business Science, and the Harvard Kennedy School.

Oyedele spent 22 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, joining in 2001 and rising to become the Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader before his appointment to head the tax reform committee.

He is currently a professor at Babcock University in Ogun State and a visiting scholar at the Lagos Business School.

As Minister of State for Finance, Oyedele is expected to oversee the implementation of the tax reforms he championed, particularly as the government seeks to improve revenue generation and deepen economic reforms.

Dr Anite-Uzoka, who is being redeployed to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, previously served as Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment before her appointment as Minister of State for Finance.

It is her third move to a new portfolio within the Tinubu administration.

The Senate is expected to screen and confirm Oyedele’s nomination in the coming weeks, following which he will be sworn in to assume his ministerial duties.

The Finance Ministry, currently led by Wale Edun as substantive minister, oversees fiscal policy, revenue mobilisation, debt management, and economic planning.

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The Rivers State House of Assembly has confirmed receipt of the list of commissioner-nominees from Governor Siminalayi Fubara and invited nine of the nominees for screening and confirmation.

The submission of the list by the governor comes about three weeks after he sacked eight commissioners who were not affected by the Supreme Court judgment recognising Martin Amaewhule as the authentic Speaker of the Assembly.

Fubara also dismissed all his special advisers.

The list of the nine commissioners is believed to be the first batch, with more names expected in the cabinet.

The invitation of the nine commissioner-nominees was contained in a government special announcement dated March 3, signed by the Clerk of the House, Dr Emeka Amadi.

The statement read: “The Rivers State House of Assembly hereby invites nominees for appointment as commissioners and members of the Rivers State Executive Council to submit forty (40) sets of their Curriculum vitae, photocopies of credentials and evidence of compliance with tax obligations.

“The nominees are: Professor Datonye Alasia, Mr Tonye Bellgam, Professor Temple Nwofor, Dr Peters Nwagor, Mrs Charity Deemua, Tamuno Williams, Mr Lekue Kenneth, Otonye Amachree and Amairigha Edward Hart.

“All documents should be forwarded to the office of the Clerk of the House at the Rivers State House of Assembly Quarters.”

The Assembly has, however, not specified when the nine nominees will be screened.

Efforts to reach the Chairman, House Committee on Information and Complaints, Enemi George, on the date for the screening were unsuccessful, as calls, texts, and WhatsApp messages went unanswered as of Tuesday evening.

Our correspondent reports that none of the sacked commissioners was included in the latest list.

Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, are believed to have resolved their differences after President Bola Tinubu intervened for the third time.

Tinubu also halted impeachment proceedings against the governor and his deputy, Prof Ngozi Odu, initiated by 27 lawmakers loyal to the FCT Minister.

The Speaker, Amaewhule, had earlier announced that the House had withdrawn the impeachment proceedings in compliance with the President’s directive.

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The Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, has reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to strengthening Primary Health Care, advancing Universal Health Coverage, improving maternal and child health outcomes, and ensuring inclusive access to healthcare services.

Coker also lauded the Federal Government’s National Health Fellowship Programme, describing it as a bold initiative under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu that has significantly strengthened primary healthcare delivery across the state.

She noted that under the initiative, young professionals were deployed to support service delivery, enhance accountability, drive innovation and reinforce health systems at the grassroots across the 774 local government areas in the country.

The commissioner disclosed this on Monday during the graduation ceremony of the first cohort of 20 health fellows deployed across the 20 local government areas of the state, as well as the onboarding of the second cohort of the federal government initiative.

“Over the past year, our fellows have worked diligently across 20 local government areas and nine key thematic impact areas. Their work has not been abstract or ceremonial; it has been practical, measurable and deeply people-centred,” she said.

Coker explained that through targeted medical outreaches, over 5,000 residents were reached, with hundreds treated for malaria, hypertension and diabetes, while essential medicines were distributed free of charge.

“With the support of the health fellows, safe deliveries were facilitated and funded. Lives were not merely touched — lives were saved,” she added.

She further disclosed that thousands benefited from water, sanitation and hygiene interventions, public health facilities were renovated, and sanitary materials were distributed in schools. Community sensitisation campaigns, she said, improved hygiene practices among students and market populations, reinforcing prevention as the first line of defence in public health.

In the area of maternal and child health, Coker revealed that more than 500 women were educated on nutrition, antenatal care and safe delivery practices, while digital innovations such as MamaReach were developed to improve emergency referrals and reduce maternal mortality.

“These are not just projects — they are lifelines for vulnerable families,” she said.

The commissioner added that the fellows played critical roles in the success of the National Immunisation Plus Days and the Measles-Rubella vaccination drive by enhancing coverage monitoring across local governments and ensuring that no child was left behind.

Beyond service delivery, she noted that the fellows invested in their professional growth through structured Learning Management System modules covering leadership, public health, financial management, data analysis and systems thinking. This was complemented by global exposure through the McKinsey Forward Programme and dedicated mentorship.

Addressing the graduating fellows, Coker said, “You came as young professionals. You leave as tested leaders. You have demonstrated that when young Nigerians are empowered with knowledge, mentorship and responsibility, they can transform systems from within.

“As we welcome Cohort 2.0, you are stepping into a programme that has already set a high bar. You are also stepping into a state that believes in innovation, accountability and measurable results. Be ready to make your mark in strengthening qualitative healthcare services at the grassroots.”

She commended development partners and the foresight of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for initiating the programme, noting that it has revolutionised primary healthcare delivery across the 20 local government areas of the state.

Coker also announced cash rewards for outstanding fellows, with N200,000 awarded to the best-performing fellow, N150,000 to the second, and N100,000 each to three others who distinguished themselves in projects undertaken during the training.

Earlier, the Coordinator of Health Fellows in the state, Dr Olamide Agunbiade, said the initiative was designed to strengthen primary healthcare nationwide. He described the fellows as bridge-builders between the Federal Government and local governments, tasked with supporting the development of qualitative healthcare services at the grassroots.

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