President Bola Tinubu on Thursday administered the oath of office to Dr Bernard Doro and Dr Kingsley Udeh as ministers, officially inducting them into the Federal Executive Council.

The ceremony took place at 1:52 p.m. inside the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja, just minutes before the commencement of the FEC meeting, the first since July 2025.

Thursday’s swearing-in restores cabinet representation for Plateau and Enugu states, both of which had been without ministerial presence in the past few weeks.

Doro, a UK-trained clinical practitioner and seasoned pharmaceutical and public health administrator, was nominated by Tinubu on October 21 to replace Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, who vacated the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction after emerging as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress on July 31, 2025.

READ ALSO:Tinubu Directs Education Minister To End ASUU Strike

Doro, who hails from Kwall, Bassa LGA of Plateau State, has over two decades of combined experience in clinical medicine, pharmacy, and IT-driven health strategy.

According to the Presidency, he holds multiple degrees, including in Pharmacy, Law, and Advanced Clinical Practice, and has served extensively within the UK’s National Health Service.

Meanwhile, Udeh, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Enugu State until his nomination, replaces Uche Nnaji, the former Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, who resigned on October 7, 2025, following controversies over his academic records at the University of Nigeria, Nsuka.

Udeh, recently conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, was nominated by the President on November 4 and was confirmed by the Senate soon afterwards.

Their swearing-in brings Tinubu’s cabinet size to 48 ministers.

READ ALSO:JUST IN: Tinubu Swears In New Head Of Service

Following the brief ceremony, Tinubu presided over the FEC meeting, the first since July 31.

Before the meeting went into a closed session, the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, informed the council that Nigeria’s return to the international capital market had drawn strong investor confidence, with the 2.35-billion-dollar Eurobond oversubscribed by 453 per cent, attracting 13 billion dollars in orders.

“The next phase of reforms will remove barriers holding back investors. We will review tariffs and import restrictions to stimulate productivity and investment,” he stated.

Edun added that a detailed review of the Federation and federal balance sheets is underway to optimise Asset Management for inclusive growth.

READ ALSO:JUST IN: Tinubu Decorates New Service Chiefs

“We are improving fiscal reporting and budget realism, tightening expenditure frameworks and ensuring reforms gains are made available to all Nigerians,” he said.

Tinubu welcomed the outcome, noting that despite political headwinds, Nigeria continues to engage global partners, strengthen its diplomatic ties, and rebuild confidence in its economy.

He said the task ahead remains to defeat terrorism and deliver a peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous Nigeria.

Ahead of the Anambra State governorship election, slated for November 8, 2025, the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has declared Friday, November 7, 2025, as a work-free day for all civil and public servants in the state.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Head of Service, Theodore Igwegbe, said the governor approved the work-free day to afford workers ample time to travel to their respective locations for participation in the election.

Igwegbe said the state government views the active participation of its workforce in the electoral process as a “civic responsibility” and a vital contribution to good governance and the development of democracy in the state.

The statement read in part: “The Anambra State government has graciously approved the declaration of Friday, November 7, 2025, as a work-free day for all civil and public servants in the state.

READ ALSO:Guber Polls: Primate Ayodele Releases Prophecies On Anambra, Ekiti, Osun

“This will afford workers ample time to travel to their respective locations for participation in the Anambra State governorship election scheduled for Saturday, November 8, 2025.

“The state government views the active participation of its workforce in the electoral process as a civic responsibility and a vital contribution to good governance and the development of democracy in the state.

“Consequently, all political appointees, permanent secretaries, and heads of ministries, departments, and agencies are hereby requested to bring the contents of this circular to the attention of their staff and ensure full compliance. Please be guided accordingly.”

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has said that Nigeria cannot achieve its dreamed food sovereignty without harnessing the potential of its youth in full capacity.

Dede Ekoue, Country Director, IFAD, said this in Benin on Thursday at the 5th Supervision Mission of a Federal Government, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and IFAD—Lifelihood Improvement Family Enterprises —Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) Project.

Ekoue, who said LIFE-ND is aimed at empowering youth and women with practical skills in agric business in the Niger Delta region, noted that to achieve this, the programme adopted a model where all trainees pass through what is referred to as incubation.

The country director, while stating that IFAD invested over $30m in the first phase of the LIFE-ND project with over 26,000 beneficiaries, added: “LIFE-ND is a unique programme to us at IFAD. We are committed to empowering youth in the agric business and to generate jobs.”

READ ALSO:

She stressed: “We are talking about agric food system transformation; it is a key topic on the global platform. And food sovereignty cannot be achieved without fully harnessing the potentials of the youth in agric. Youth has the largest population. So, LIFE-ND is aimed at empowering youth with practical skills using a model of business incubation. By the time they go through the incubation process, they come out as business owners. They are able to set up an agric business.”

“And we have a good story in terms of linking these agric business owners to the market. So, income generation and sales are not issues to them.

“Creating jobs for youths is the key to enabling growth; it is the key to peace; it is the key to development; it is the key to business growth.”

In empowerment of women, the country director said: “LIFE-ND also emphasises on women. Women are key to food production; they are key to food transformation; they are key to food sovereignty; they are key to proper nutrition. This is what LIFE-ND is delivering.”

READ ALSO:Four Nigerians Jailed In UK For Forging Over 2,000 Marriage Documents

Ekoue, while expressing satisfaction at the 4th supervision of the project, said the supervision, which was carried out by an independent team was to “access progresses, identified the challenges and opportunities for improvement, and to develop some recommendations for further enhancing,” adding that this would give a cue either to continue with the project or discontinue.

On his part, National Coordinator, LIFE-ND, Dr.
Abiodun Sanni, said the first phase of the programme, which covered six states —Ondo, Edo, Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta —of the region, had 26,470 beneficiaries including young agro entrepreneurs, youths, women, and persons with disability along different commodities for value chain.

Sanni, while expressing his commitment to actualising the transformative agenda of the project, which he said aligns with the President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, disclosed that 4,380 beneficiaries are currently being enlisted in this ongoing phase, adding: “We are going to add more beneficiaries as more funds come from our sponsors.”

Representative of the NDDC, Stella Manureh, said the LIFE-ND project “is our shared commitment to improving lives of the Niger Delta people through food security.
IFAD, your continued investment in agriculture has improved the livelihood of the people.
It enforces our collective responsibility for transparency and accountability.”