The Senate has confirmed the appointment of Taiwo Oyedele as a minister-designate days after his nomination by President Bola Tinubu.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the confirmation after lawmakers cleared the nominee through a voice vote at the Committee of the Whole on Wednesday after his screening.
Senators spent over two hours grilling the Oyedele who is the outgoing chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms before eventually confirming him as a minister-designate.
Answering questions from the lawmakers, Oyedele described his nomination as the Minister of State for Finance as a call to serve Nigeria.
“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,” the 50-year-old told senators.
“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.”
He also praised Tinubu for nominating him as a minister and tagged his appearance before the Senate as an honour.
“I am deeply honoured to appear before this distinguished chamber today. I thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the confidence reposed in me through this nomination, and I thank the Senate for the opportunity to share my vision,” the public policy expert, accountant, and economist told the lawmakers.
Before his appointment, Oyedele served as the tax reforms committee chair, masterminding the enactment of a new tax regime in Nigeria.
While he was appointed to that position in July 2023, it took Oyedele and his team over two years to rejig Nigeria’s tax laws.
Though there were pushbacks initially about the laws, they eventually went live on January 1, signalling a fresh era.
President Bola Tinubu nominated Oyedele to replace Doris Uzoka-Anite, as Minister of State for finance after she was moved to serve as the minister of Budget and National Planning (state).
