President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated Taiwo Oyedele, the lead architect of Nigeria’s sweeping tax overhauls, as the new Minister of State for Finance. The move, announced Tuesday, signals a strategic shift toward the aggressive implementation of fiscal policies aimed at stabilising Africa’s largest economy.
In a formal letter transmitted to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu confirmed that Oyedele will replace Dr Doris Uzoka-Anite. Following the reshuffle, Uzoka-Anite has been redeployed to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning as Minister of State, marking her third high-level portfolio under the current administration.
Until this nomination, the 50-year-old Oyedele served as the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms. His tenure was defined by a massive legislative overhaul, including the passage of the Nigeria Tax Act, which consolidated fragmented authorities into the single Nigeria Revenue Service.
"Taiwo has served our nation diligently, leading the overhaul of our tax system with clarity, courage, and competence," President Tinubu stated in a post on his official X handle. The President emphasised that Oyedele’s expertise as an economist and accountant is expected to "strengthen our fiscal architecture at a critical time".
Oyedele, an indigene of Ondo State and a former Fiscal Policy Partner at PwC, has been the public face of reforms scheduled for full implementation by January 2026. These reforms include VAT exemptions for essential goods and corporate tax reductions for small businesses.