THE Nigerian Senate has confirmed Taiwo Oyedele as Minister of State for Finance, following a screening session on Wednesday, March 11.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the confirmation after lawmakers approved the nomination through a voice vote in the Committee of the Whole.
Oyedele replaced Doris Uzoka-Anite, who was redeployed to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, marking her third portfolio in the current administration.
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, March 3, transmitted Oyedele’s name to the Senate in a letter to the Senate President, requesting his confirmation.
The appointment comes months after the National Assembly passed a set of tax reform laws spearheaded by Oyedele as Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms.
The legislation, including the Nigeria Tax Act, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, overhauls the country’s tax administration framework under a single authority – the Nigeria Revenue Service.
The reforms faced strong opposition from some northern lawmakers before their eventual passage.
During his screening, Oyedele described the ministerial role as a call to serve the nation.
He told senators that his career spans more than 22 years across government, international institutions, and multinational corporations, with a focus on fiscal governance and economic transformation.
He added that the appointment was not about personal achievements, but about addressing Nigeria’s fiscal challenges and opportunities.
A native of Ikaram in Akoko, Ondo State, Oyedele, 50, is an economist and public policy expert. He holds a Higher National Diploma in Accountancy and Finance from Yaba College of Technology, a BSc in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes University, and has completed executive programmes at the London School of Economics, Yale University, the Gordon Institute of Business Science, and the Harvard Kennedy School.
Oyedele spent 22 years at PwC, rising to Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader. He also serves as a professor at Babcock University and a visiting scholar at Lagos Business School.
As Minister of State, Oyedele will work with the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun.
His responsibilities are expected to include implementing federal fiscal policies, overseeing revenue generation and tax administration, coordinating with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), assisting in budget financing and debt strategy, and liaising with the National Assembly on finance-related legislation.
Given his extensive experience in fiscal policy and tax reform, the minister is expected to lead the smooth rollout of the new tax framework, improve revenue collection efficiency, reduce multiple taxation, balance federal and state revenue interests, strengthen investor confidence, and enhance transparency in public finance management.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M