NIGERIA – President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday swore in 44 ministers and assigned portfolios to them at the presidential villa in Abuja.
With the number of ministers sworn-in, Buhari now has the largest cabinet in Nigeria’s democratic history.
Shortly after the swearing in, Rauf Aregbesola, the newly appointed minister of interior, admitted he did not know much about the ministry beyond what he has read in the newspapers.
Aregbesola instructed Georgina Ehuriah, the ministry’s permanent secretary, to run the affairs of the ministry till Monday when he will resume.
“My relationship with the ministry is distant. What I know about the ministry is what I read in the newspapers,” he said.
“I will come to take over on Monday. I give the permanent secretary the grace to run the ministry till then. We will be ready by Monday to take on the huge assignment.”
Below is a table of the ministers and their portfolios:
| SN | Name | State | Portfolio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uchechukwu Ogah | Abia | Minister of State Mines and Steel Development |
| 2 | Mohammed Bello | Adamawa | Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) |
| 3 | Godswill Akpabio | Akwa Ibom | Minister for Niger Delta |
| 4 | Chris Ngige | Anambra | Minister of Labour and Employment |
| 5 | Sharon Ikeazor | Anambra | Minister of State for Environment |
| 6 | Adamu Adamu | Bauchi | Minister of Education |
| 7 | Mariam Katagum | Bauchi | Minister State industry Trade and Investment |
| 8 | Timipre Sylva | Bayelsa | Minister of State for Petroleum |
| 9 | George Akume | Benue | Minister of Special Duties and International Affairs |
| 10 | Mustapha Baba Shehuri | Borno | Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development |
| 11 | Goddy Agba | Cross Rivers | Minister of State Power |
| 12 | Festus Keyamo | Delta | Minister of State Niger Delta |
| 13 | Ogbonnaya Onu | Ebonyi | Minister of Science Technology |
| 14 | Osagie Ehanire | Edo | Minister of Health |
| 15 | Clement Agba | Edo | Minister of State Budget and National Planning |
| 16 | Adeniyi Adebayo | Ekiti | Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment |
| 17 | Geofrey Onyeama | Enugu | Minister of Foreign Affairs |
| 18 | Ali Pantami | Gombe | Minister of Communication |
| 19 | Emeka Nwajuba | Imo | Minister of State for Education |
| 20 | Suleiman Adamu | Jigawa | Minister of Water Resources |
| 21 | Zainab Ahmed | Kaduna | Minister of Finance |
| 22 | Mohammed Mahmoud | Kaduna | Minister of Environment |
| 23 | Sabo Nanono | Kano | Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development |
| 24 | Bashir Salihi Magashi | Kano | Minister of Defence |
| 25 | Hadi Sirika | Katsina | Minister of Aviation |
| 26 | Abubakar Malami | Kebbi | Minister of Justice |
| 27 | Ramatu Tijani | Kogi | Minister of State Federal Capital Territory (FCT) |
| 28 | Lai Mohammed | Kwara | Minister of Information and Culture |
| 29 | Gbemisola Saraki | Kwara | Minister of State for Transportation |
| 30 | Babatunde Fashola | Lagos | Minister of Works and Housing |
| 31 | Olorunnimbe Mamora | Lagos | Minister of State Health |
| 32 | Muhammed Abdullahi | Nasarawa | Minister of state Science and Technology |
| 33 | Zubairu Dada | Niger | Minister of Foreign Affairs, State |
| 34 | Olamilekan Adegbite | Ogun | Minister of Mines and Steel Development |
| 35 | Tayo Alasoadura | Ondo | Minister of State Labour and Employment |
| 36 | Rauf Aregbesola | Osun | Minister of Interior |
| 37 | Sunday Dare | Oyo | Minister of Youths and Sports |
| 38 | Pauline Tallen | Plateau | Minister of Women Affairs |
| 39 | Rotimi Amaechi | Rivers | Minister of Transportation |
| 40 | Muhammadu Dingyadi | Sokoto | Minister of Police Affairs |
| 41 | Saleh Mamman | Taraba | Minister of Power |
| 42 | Abubakar Aliyu | Yobe | Minister of State Works and Housing |
| 43 | Sadiya Umar Farouk | Zamfara | Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development |
| 44 | Muhammadu Buhari | Katsina | Minister of Petroleum |
