President Bola Tinubu has appointed Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as Nigeria’s new Minister of Foreign Affairs, promoting her from her previous role as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

The appointment follows the resignation of Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, who stepped down from office to pursue his governorship ambition ahead of the 2027 elections.

The development was announced in a statement issued on Wednesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

According to the statement, Tinubu also nominated Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye as the new Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, pending confirmation by the Senate.

Before the nomination, Enikanolaiye served as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu, widow of former Biafran leader and statesman Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, previously served as Nigeria’s ambassador to Spain and later Italy before joining Tinubu’s cabinet in 2023 as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

Tuggar had occupied the position of Foreign Affairs Minister since August 2023 before resigning to contest the Bauchi State governorship election in 2027.

His exit followed an earlier directive issued by the Presidency in March through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, instructing ministers with political ambitions to resign from their positions before March 31.

Enikanolaiye is regarded as a seasoned diplomat with more than 30 years of experience in Nigeria’s foreign service.

Over the course of his career, he has served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and held diplomatic postings in Addis Ababa, Belgrade, Ottawa, London, and New Delhi.

The Presidency said the appointments form part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s foreign policy framework, improve diplomatic engagement, and deepen international partnerships.

Tinubu also urged the newly appointed officials to focus on promoting Nigeria’s national interests, advancing economic diplomacy, strengthening regional stability, and protecting the welfare of Nigerians both at home and abroad.