Cabinet shake-up: Bianca Ojukwu takes over Foreign Affairs as Yusuf Tuggar exits for 2027

In a major reform of his administration’s foreign policy team, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu as the official Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The appointment, announced on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, follows the resignation of Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar. 

Tuggar stepped down to pursue the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in Bauchi State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

As part of this diplomatic move, the President also nominated Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye as the new Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, pending confirmation by the Senate.

Yusuf Tuggar’s departure marks the first high-profile exit following the presidency's March 31 deadline for political appointees with 2027 ambitions. 

Tuggar, who had led the ministry since August 2023, is shifting his focus to the Bauchi State Government House.

His resignation paved the way for a reshuffle that moves Ojukwu from her previous role as minister of state to the head of Nigeria’s foreign policy system.

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While many recognise her as a former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) and the widow of the late Biafran leader and statesman Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Bianca Ojukwu:

• has served as Nigeria’s Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Affairs and held key postings as the country’s Ambassador to Ghana and the Kingdom of Spain.

• Is a trained lawyer with a degree from the University of Nigeria (UNN), she also holds a Master’s degree from Spain, specialising in international relations.

To complement Ojukwu’s leadership, President Tinubu has also nominated Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, a career diplomat from Kogi State.

Enikanolaiye brings over 30 years of experience in the Nigerian Foreign Service. 

Until this nomination, he served as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Relations. 

Having previously served as a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and held postings in London, Ottawa, and New Delhi, he is expected to provide the technical stability needed to drive Nigeria's economic diplomacy.

With Tuggar entering the 2027 race, the new duo of Ojukwu and Enikanolaiye will now lead Nigeria's efforts to attract foreign investment and strengthen global partnerships.

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