By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The Senate on Wednesday, March 11, confirmed the appointment of Taiwo Oyedele as a minister in the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu.
The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, announced the confirmation after lawmakers cleared the nominee through a voice vote at the Committee of the Whole during plenary.
Oyedele, who until his appointment was the Chairman of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, will replace Doris Uzoka-Anite as Minister of State for Finance.
His confirmation followed a two-hour screening by the lawmakers before
eventually confirming him.
Responding to questions from the lawmakers, Oyedele described his nomination as a call to serve Nigeria.
He said: “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 tax expert also compared Nigeria’s revenue with that of five other leading African economies, noting that despite earning more than them, Nigeria’s fiscal deficit remains higher.
He noted that Nigeria’s budgets over the years have been too ambitious compared to the country’s revenue.
Oyedele added that if confirmed as minister, he would undertake a status quo analysis on the issue of non-payment of Federal Government contractors.
President Tinubu, on March 3, nominated Oyedele to replace Doris Uzoka-Anite, who was moved to serve as the minister of Budget and National Planning (State).
Days after his nomination, President Tinubu forwarded his name to the Senate, seeking the lawmakers’ confirmation.
During the screening, Oyedele thanked Tinubu for nominating him as a minister and described his appearance before the Senate as an honour.
