President Bola Tinubu on Monday formally inaugurated Joseph Tegbe as Minister of Power and Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, following their confirmation by the Senate.
The swearing-in ceremony, held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, was attended by family members of the appointees, senior government officials, and presidential aides.
Speaking shortly after taking office, Tegbe acknowledged the deep-rooted challenges facing Nigeria’s electricity sector, stressing that meaningful progress would take time and sustained effort.
“I will not promise what I cannot deliver, but I promise visible improvement, as you have been seeing, and I will continue to communicate honestly with you every step of the way,” he told State House correspondents.
The new minister emphasized that his administration would focus on disciplined execution of reforms, measurable milestones, and transparency in delivering results to Nigerians.
According to him, signs of progress are already emerging within the sector. He cited the revival of the 450-megawatt Alaoji Open Cycle Power Plant in Abia State, which had remained inactive for three years before being restored by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company. The facility is currently capable of supplying up to 375 megawatts to the national grid.
Tegbe’s appointment followed the resignation of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who left office to pursue political ambitions. Former Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar also stepped down, creating the vacancies that President Tinubu filled with the new appointments.
A seasoned reform strategist from Ibadan, Oyo State, Tegbe brings more than three decades of experience spanning both the public and private sectors. He previously served as Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG Africa, where he led several governance and economic transformation initiatives.
His professional portfolio includes advisory roles with institutions such as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET), Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Shell, Huawei, General Electric, MTN, and the Odu’a Group.
Tegbe holds a First Class degree in Civil Engineering from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, as well as postgraduate degrees in Business Administration and Public Administration obtained in Switzerland and Birmingham.
Also sworn in was Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, a veteran diplomat from Kogi State. Enikanolaiye graduated with a First Class degree in Political Science from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, before earning a distinction in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos.
He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1982 and rose through the ranks to become Permanent Secretary in 2016. During his distinguished diplomatic career, he served in Nigerian missions in Ethiopia, Serbia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and India.
Before his latest appointment, Enikanolaiye served as Senior Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Foreign Affairs and International Relations in the Office of the Chief of Staff.
The appointments are expected to strengthen the administration’s efforts in addressing critical national priorities, particularly in the power sector and international diplomacy.