Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially sworn in Taiwo Oyedele as the new Minister of State for Finance.
Oyedele took the oath of office before the president at the Presidential Villa on Monday, formally assuming his role in the federal cabinet.
The president had nominated Oyedele for the position on March 3, 2026, to replace Doris Uzoka-Anite, who was redeployed to serve as Minister of State for Budget and National Planning.
Eight days after the nomination, the Nigerian Senate confirmed Oyedele as a minister-designate in the administration of President Tinubu.
Lawmakers approved his appointment through a voice vote at the Committee of the Whole following hours of screening.
His confirmation came shortly after the former chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms appeared before the Senate for questioning.
Speaking during the screening, Oyedele described his nomination as a call to national service.
“With over two decades of experience working with national governments, multilateral institutions, and global corporations, my journey across the private sector, academia, and public policy has focused on fiscal governance and economic transformation.
“However, this moment is not about personal accomplishments; it is a call to serve at a critical time when Nigeria faces significant fiscal challenges and remarkable opportunities,” the 50-year-old said in the upper chamber.
He also noted that his extensive professional experience in tax policy and economic reforms had prepared him for the responsibilities of the office.
“I feel my background has prepared me to help my country by understanding what works globally and how to apply those lessons to our unique context,” Oyedele added.
The public policy expert, accountant and economist was earlier appointed by President Tinubu in July 2023 to lead the tax reform committee.
His leadership of the committee resulted in the development of four major fiscal reform bills: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill. These bills were later passed by the National Assembly after months of debate and controversy before receiving presidential assent on June 26, 2025.
Before entering public service, Oyedele served for decades at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he rose to become fiscal policy partner and Africa tax leader.
He began his academic training at Yaba College of Technology, where he obtained a Higher National Diploma in Accountancy and Finance. He later earned a Bachelor of Science degree in applied accounting from Oxford Brookes University.
Oyedele also completed executive education programmes at institutions including the London School of Economics, Yale University, the Gordon Institute of Business Science, and the Harvard Kennedy School.
In addition to his professional work, he serves as a professor at Babcock University and is also a visiting scholar at the Lagos Business School.
What you should know
Taiwo Oyedele is widely recognised in Nigeria for his expertise in tax policy and fiscal reforms.
As chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, he played a key role in shaping major tax legislation aimed at modernising Nigeria’s revenue system and improving ease of doing business.
His appointment as Minister of State for Finance is expected to strengthen the government’s fiscal reform agenda and support efforts to address Nigeria’s revenue challenges.
