Tinubu praises Taiwo Oyedele’s tax reform role at ministerial swearing-in
President Bola Tinubu has said appointing Taiwo Oyedele as Minister of State for Finance was an easy decision, citing his dedication and expertise in fiscal reforms.
Tinubu made the remark on Monday during Oyedele’s swearing-in ceremony at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
“You are just a very dedicated and highly determined individual. It didn’t take much for me to decide where you fit and where you need to be to further help the country,” the president said.
He described the position as challenging, noting that managing fiscal policy at a time of economic stability without strong growth requires careful leadership.
“It is a very challenging job to look at the fiscal policy and responsibility that comes with it at a time when economic stability is being experienced, but without exponential growth,” Tinubu said. “But you fit the bill.”
The president also thanked Oyedele for his role in advancing Nigeria’s tax reforms and expressed appreciation to his wife for supporting him.
Tinubu nominated Oyedele for the position on 3 March 2026, replacing Doris Uzoka-Anite, who was redeployed as Minister of State for Budget and National Planning.
The Nigerian Senate confirmed Oyedele as minister-designate days later through a voice vote following hours of screening at the Committee of the Whole.
During the screening, Oyedele said his decades of experience working on global reforms related to taxation and the ease of doing business had prepared him for the role.
“I feel my background has prepared me to help my country by understanding what works globally and how to apply those lessons to our unique context,” he said.
Oyedele previously served as chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms. Under his leadership, four major tax reform bills were developed: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
The National Assembly passed the bills after months of debate, and Tinubu signed them into law on 26 June 2025.
The 50-year-old public policy expert, accountant and economist was appointed to lead the tax reform committee in July 2023.
He holds a Higher National Diploma in Accountancy and Finance from Yaba College of Technology and a BSc in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes University.
Oyedele previously worked for decades at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he served as fiscal policy partner and Africa tax leader. He is also a professor at Babcock University and a visiting scholar at Lagos Business School.