President Bola Tinubu has nominated Taiwo Oyedele, the architect of Nigeria’s landmark tax reforms, as Minister of State for Finance. The nomination, announced Monday.
Oyedele succeeds Doris Anite-Uzoka, who will now serve as Minister of State in the Ministry of Budget and National Planning.
“The President has also conveyed the nomination of Oyedele to the Senate for confirmation,” said Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
Before this appointment, Oyedele served as chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, where he oversaw the most ambitious overhaul of Nigeria’s tax system.
He is widely credited with simplifying tax laws, driving digital compliance, and reshaping fiscal policy to boost revenue and investor confidence.
Oyedele, 50, hails from Ikaram, Akoko in Ondo State. He is an economist, accountant, and public policy expert.
He studied accountancy and finance at Yaba College of Technology, earned a BSc in applied accounting from Oxford Brookes University, and completed executive programs at institutions including the London School of Economics, Yale University, and Harvard Kennedy School.
In addition to his public service, Oyedele is a professor at Babcock University and a visiting scholar at the Lagos Business School. His appointment reflects Tinubu’s focus on technocratic leadership and revenue-driven reforms.
“Taiwo Oyedele’s experience in tax policy and fiscal management makes him exceptionally suited for this role,” said a government insider.
The Senate is now expected to review Oyedele’s nomination. Meanwhile, Anite-Uzoka transitions to a new portfolio.
