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Nigeria - President Buhari’s Cabinet
africapractice - November 2015

Nigeria - President Buhari’s Cabinet
africapractice
Nigeria - President Buhari’s Cabinet
On Wednesday 11 th November 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the Federal Executive Council and announced the portfolios of the 36 Ministers that had
recently been vetted by the Senate. With the announcement, the number of federal ministries has effectively been reduced to 25 following the merging of several ministries,
with several new Ministers deputising as Ministers of State rather than running their own portfolios. The President also appointed 18 new permanent secretaries to replace
those who had been retired the previous day.
It has taken Buhari more than five months to put his first cabinet in place, prompting accusations of policy drift and ineffectual leadership. However, Buhari has defended
his actions by asserting both that state ministries were being well managed by permanent secretaries in the interim, and that he needed time to ensure he found the right
candidates to realize his reform ambitions. Foreign investors have welcomed the cabinet’s unveiling, hoping that it will serve to clarify the federal government’s policy on key
issues, and drive development across the economy.
Key takeaways
• The cabinet represents a genuine drive to improve public sector
governance, reflecting a core ambition of Buhari’s presidency.
By streamlining portfolios and appointing competent technocrats
to strategic ministries, the President has sought to introduce a
government apparatus that is efficient and manageable. The less
high-profile appointments are generally made up either of trusted
loyalists or prominent figures who provide the right balance of
ethno-regional representation. Performance among this group of
individuals is likely to be more variable.
• Although Buhari is likely to delegate considerable powers
across the ministries, the president’s office will remain central
to strategic decision-making. Decisions to date have been fairly
centralized, and Buhari will continue to work through a network of
close advisers to oversee key government portfolios. His decision
to retain strategic oversight of the petroleum ministry is a clear
indication of his intention to personally oversee reforms in the most
important areas of the economy. These dynamics could generate
personal and institutional rifts, not just with ministers but with
other key bodies such as state governments and the legislature.
• The government’s anti-corruption drive will continue unabated in the short term.
This was a key tenet of Buhari’s electoral victory and will continue to resonate across political
and business circles. Despite accusations of politicization, the high-level commitment to
tackling graft and reducing the losses and leakages in Nigeria’s political system is a positive
development. Following the dismissal of the head of the country’s main anti-corruption body,
a heavy-hitting appointment is now expected. The anti-corruption drive will continue to
create turbulence in the business landscape, underlining the need for strong understanding
of local partners and implementation of effective anti-bribery and -corruption policies.
• Despite the positive governance trajectory, Buhari’s reform agenda will be diluted
by three key factors. Firstly, political infighting within the APC and across party lines
will generate dysfunction and unhealthy competition that undermines policy-making,
particularly in the legislature. Secondly, vested interests within the political and business
landscape will continue to block or disrupt reform efforts, posing a persistent barrier to
progress. Lastly, the enormous economic and security challenges that Nigeria faces in the
coming months will shackle the government’s ability to bring about real change, while
broader capacity constraints across public administration will also hinder prospects for
radical progress. The economic downturn provides a unique opportunity to reform public
structures and improve governance, but it also starves the government of much-needed
funding, and external financing may well be sought to plug the gap.
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Nigeria - President Buhari’s Cabinet
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Key figures
We believe that the following appointments are particularly interesting and will shape the outlook for the new Buhari government:
Kemi Adeosun
Minister of Finance
Adeosun had a background in the private sector, holding management positions at
PWC (2000-02) and Chapel Hill Denham Management (2002-10) before serving as
Commissioner of Finance for Ogun State (2011-15). She is a respected economist and
was praised for her performance in office in Ogun state. However, as one of the youngest
members of the cabinet who is untested at this level, she faces an enormous challenge in spearheading fiscal
reforms and overcoming vested or competing interests in the system to boost flagging growth. Her early
statements regarding the economy and need for reform strike a positive note but her lack of experience at
this level – and the sheer scale of Nigeria’s economic travails – present significant challenges.
Alhaji Mahmoud Isa Dutse was recently appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry.
Ibe Kachikwu
Minister of State for Petroleum
Although Buhari will retain strategic control of the petroleum ministry, Kachikwu has
been appointed Minister of State for the day-to-day running of the sector. In August
2015, he was appointed as the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Prior to this, he was the Executive Vice Chairman and
General Counsel of ExxonMobil Africa, where he is credited with influencing over US$10 billion worth of
investment into Nigeria and other African countries. He earned a Doctorate Degree from Harvard University,
specializing in Petroleum and Investment Law Strategy. Since taking over at the NNPC, Kachikwu has overhauled
the state-owned firm’s management and overseen a number of reforms to procedures and accounting
structures. He has also announced a comprehensive review of contractual arrangements in the sector.
Kachikwu and Buhari appear closely aligned on strategy and will both be committed to radically overhauling
the oil sector in the coming months to maximize local benefit and improve governance. This bodes well for
long-term governance in a sector in desperate need of reform, though investors can anticipate considerable
turbulence and challenging conversations around contractual arrangements in the coming months.
Dr. Jamila Shu’ara was recently appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry.
Babatunde Raji Fashola
Minister of Power/Works &
Housing
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria
(SAN), Fashola was Chief of Staff
(1999-2007) to former Lagos State
Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu before being himself
elected Governor. As Governor of Lagos State (2007-
15) he was responsible for key reforms in the areas
of taxation, education and infrastructure, adopting
a results-driven approach and running a competent
administration. He was subsequently appointed
Director of the Fundraising Committee for Buhari’s
Presidential Election Campaign. Fashola’s appointment
is a reflection of what is widely considered an impressive
performance in Lagos state. As the Minister of Power,
Works and Housing, he oversees a super-ministry and
is undoubtedly one of the most important Ministers
in this new cabinet. His ministry will oversee a large
portion of the national budget, and includes oversight
over the all-important power sector which has been
undergoing major reforms in recent years. He’ll be
expected to aggressively drive the administration’s
plans to leverage infrastructure in its economic
diversification plans.
Mr. Louis Edozien (Power) and Engr. A.G. Magaji (Works
& Housing) were recently appointed Permanent
Secretaries of both Ministries, respectively.
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Nigeria - President Buhari’s Cabinet
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Lt. General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd.)
Minister of Interior
Dambazau is a career military officer and served as
the Principal General Staff Officer to an Honorable
Minister of Defense (PGSO-HMOD) in 2006 before
being appointed Chief of Army Staff in 2008 under late
President Umaru Yar’Adua. We believe Police Affairs will now be subsumed
under Ministry of Interior and Dambazau will be expected to bring his
track record of performance in the Armed Forces to bear in reforming
the Nigerian Police Force. Dambazau is a close ally of the president and
has accompanied him on a number of diplomatic trips and strategic
engagements, underlining his role as a trusted advisor on defense and
security issues. Many expected him to be appointed Defense Minister,
though he will still likely retain considerable influence over strategic
security issues – notably Boko Haram – in his capacity as Interior Minister.
Okechukwu Enelamah
Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment
Enelamah is a medical doctor by training, but has
extensive experience in the areas of finance and foreign
investments. Some had tipped him for the Minister of
Finance post but he will be a heavy hitter in his role in
the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, especially given his private
sector background. He has worked in various capacities with several
international firms such as Arthur Andersen & Co. (now KPMG Professional
Services WA), Goldman Sachs & Co, and Zephyr Management LP. He is cofounder
and Chief Executive of Africa Capital Alliance (ACA), an investment
and advisory firm that has obtained aggregate capital commitments of
over US$750 million across several funds raised from 1997 till date.
Mr. Aliyu Bisalla was recently appointed Permanent Secretary
of the Ministry.
Kayode Fayemi
Minister of Solid Minerials
Fayemi is a PhD holder with a background in politics and international
relations and he was a Director of the Centre for Democracy and
Development from 1997 to 2006.He was Governor of Ekiti State from
2010 to 2014 and was seen as a reformist who worked to overhaul
many areas of the public sector during his time in office. However, he lost a second term
bid for the governorship to PDP rival, Ayo Fayose in 2014, in a controversial election in
which Fayemi’s graceful acceptance of defeat despite accusations of vote-rigging was
lauded in some quarters. He was the APC Director of Policy and Research during the runup
to the 2015 elections and also served as a member of President Buhari’s transition
committee. Fayemi is considered a principled technocrat who is likely to perform well in
his post and remain a close confidant of the President.
Mr. Istifanus Fuktur was recently appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry.
Amina Mohammed
Minister of Environment
She is a Special Adviser on post-2015 development planning to the
United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon. She worked as
Senior Adviser on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to three
different Presidents of Nigeria (2000-14). She has served on several
international advisory boards and panels including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
She worked in the United Nations Millennium Project as a Coordinator of the Task Force on
Gender and Education. She was Coordinator of the Task Force on Gender and Education
for the United Nations Millennium Project (2002-05). Amina is likely to perform quite
well under this portfolio due to her track record within the global sustainability space.
Dr. Bukar Hassan was recently appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry.
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Nigeria - President Buhari’s Cabinet
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Rotimi Amaechi
Minister of Transportation
Amaechi came to political prominence as Special Assistant (1992-93) to Dr. Peter Odili
when he was Deputy Governor of Rivers State. He served as Speaker of the Rivers
State House of Assembly for 8 years before becoming Governor of the State in 2007
on the platform of the PDP. During his second term as Governor he fell out with his
party and former President Goodluck Jonathan (2010-15), joining the newly-formed APC in 2013 where he
became Campaign Director for President Buhari’s campaign in the run-up to the 2015 elections. He also
was appointed as a member of the Transition Committee. However, he is one of the most controversial
ministerial selections following an unsuccessful PDP bid to block his appointment and launch legal
challenges against him. Amaechi will remain a contested figure in his home-state of Rivers, but will also
face broader political challenges from the PDP’s party machinery.
Alhaji Sabiu Zakari was recently appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry.
Udo Udoma
Minister of Budget & National Planning
An Oxford alumnus, Udoma is a Partner at the law firm of Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie
and was Special Adviser to a former Minister of Petroleum and later Chairman of the
Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) Task Force that was setup to prepare the draft Bill. He
was elected as a PDP Senator to represent Akwa Ibom State in 1999, serving eight
years in the Senate and eventually being elected Chief Whip. APC campaign rhetoric had made it clear
there will be a renewed focus on National Planning so that it is better aligned to the Budget (there was
often a disconnect in the past and the Ministry had little effect) and Udoma’s high-profile appointment is
a reflection of this commitment.
Mrs. Fatima Mede was recently appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry.
Audu Ogbeh
Minister of Agriculture & Natural
Resources
He was the National Chairman of the
PDP from 2001 until 2005 when he
was forced to resign after falling out
with then-president Olusegun Obasanjo (1999-2007). He
was subsequently a founding member of the APC when
it was formed in 2013. Ogbeh briefly served as a minister
in the 1980s but has been out of the political limelight
in recent years. More recently he was appointed a
member of President Buhari’s Transition Committee.
Following the impressive leadership of the Ministry of
Agriculture and Natural resources by his predecessor
Akinwumi Adesina, who instigated a number of
transformative reforms, Ogbeh will need to demonstrate
a similar commitment and capacity to drive productivity
and growth in this important sector. The Buhari
administration sees agriculture as a strategic priority and
it is likely to benefit from considerable financial resources
in this respect, supported by a growing number of
development partners.
Dr. Shehu Ahmad was recently appointed Permanent
Secretary of the Ministry.
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Nigeria - President Buhari’s Cabinet
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Brig. General Mansur M. Dan Ali (rtd.)
Minister of Defence
Dan Ali is a career soldier with graduate degrees in Public Policy and Administration and Security
Studies. During his years of service at the Nigerian Armed Forces (NFA) he has been decorated
with several honorary medals and service stars for his service with the Nigerian Armed
Forces (NFA). Prior to attending the National Defense College, Bangladesh, he served as the
Commander, Nigerian Battalion at the United Nations - African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). As a respected
northern General with a good understanding of the military, Dan Ali has likely been appointed in the hope that he
can drive improved military performance, notably in the fight against Boko Haram in the north-east. However, the
military remains an unwieldy institution which has seen the quality of its leadership erode in the last two decades,
while the complex drivers of Islamist militancy will require more than just military solutions in the coming months.
Ambassador Danjuma Sheni was recently appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry.
Pastor Usani Uguru
Minister of Niger Delta
Uguru’s career in governance started while he was Personal Assistant to Governor Clement Ebri
of Cross Rivers State (1992 - 1993) and he gained further notable public sector experience from
later roles as Commissioner of Agriculture, Water Resources and Rural Development (1997-
1999) and Commissioner of Youth, Sports and Social Development (1995). Uguru contested
unsuccessfully for the Cross Rivers State governorship in 2003 and 2012 under the opposition political platforms of
the former National Democrats (ND) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), respectively. In 2013 he was appointed
Chairman of the APC in Cross Rivers State. Prior to that, he was the Cross Rivers State Secretary of the Congress
for Progressive Change (CPC).He lacks significant political clout in the Niger delta region where the main regional
power-brokers remain firmly within the PDP fold. This highlights a broader issue with the Buhari government in its
lack of heavy-hitting representation across the Niger delta and south-east, which may well become an issue in the
event of deterioration in regional relations.
Adebayo Adeshittu
Minister of Communication
He has been quite active in
Nigerian politics particularly
in Oyo State where he served
as a Member of the Oyo
State House of Assembly (1979–83) and later
as Attorney General as well as Commissioner
for Justice and Commissioner for Information,
Culture and Home Affairs in Governor Ladoja’s
government. He was also a member of the
National Political Reforms Conference in 2005.
Mr. Shittu has big shoes to fill while presiding
over one of Nigeria’s most dynamic sectors
where regulation will have to evolve to suite
current trends in the industry.
Arch. Sunday Echono was recently appointed
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry
Mrs. Wakama B. Asifieka was recently appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry.
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About Roddy Barclay
Head of Intelligence & Analysis
He manages africapractice's Intelligence & Analysis department, which provides intelligence, risk analysis,
stakeholder engagement and risk management consultancy services to clients across Africa. With over seven
years' industry experience, having worked at companies such as Control Risks and Aegis Defense Services Ltd, he
has developed an extensive Africa network and has a personal experience of providing political risk advisory and
business intelligence support in over 20 countries.
email: rbarclay@africapractice.com
About Dawn Dimowo
Consultant, Intelligence & Analysis - Nigeria
Dawn is a consultant with africapractice in Nigeria providing political and commercial intelligence, risk analysis
and communications support to local and international clients in various industries from finance and ICT to
pharmaceuticals and FMCG. She has worked on key accounts for Microsoft, Mastercard, Statoil, Merck, Bayer,
the West African Commission on Drugs and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She has also been involved in
public affairs and advocacy projects in the agriculture and extractives industries. Before joining africapractice,
Dawn was employed at a government agency in Abuja and prior to that had worked with a research firm involved
in international development projects and with the office of Legal Affairs of INTERPOL in Lyon. She is a qualified
lawyer and speaks French fluently.
email: ddimowo@africapractice.com | Mobile: +234(0) 818 591 7040 /806 541 0385 | Skype: dawn.idiodi
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