President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday formally swore in renowned tax expert Taiwo Oyedele as Nigeria’s Minister of State for Finance, describing the appointment as a vote of confidence in his expertise and commitment to reforming the country’s fiscal system.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where the president commended Oyedele for his work as chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, saying his leadership had been instrumental in shaping ongoing tax reform efforts aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s economy.
Speaking shortly after administering the oath of office, Tinubu praised the new minister’s professionalism and dedication to public service, noting that his work had helped lay the groundwork for a more efficient and transparent tax system. “We are very proud of your knowledge, your simplicity, ambition, and excellence,” the president said.
Tinubu also acknowledged the demanding nature of the new role and commended Oyedele’s family for supporting him through years of intensive professional commitment. Addressing the minister’s wife during the ceremony, the president said: “I congratulate your wife for standing up to our challenge of time management and long hours of absence. This is additional responsibility, and I hope you will encourage and support him.”
The president further described Oyedele as a dedicated professional whose contributions to tax reform have helped reshape Nigeria’s fiscal policy landscape. According to him, the reforms coordinated by Oyedele were designed to simplify the tax system, expand the country’s revenue base and improve the business environment.
“Thank you for accepting to serve your country, especially for reforming the entire tax policy of this country that was obsolete and fundamentally against every progressive thinking,” Tinubu said. “You are 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 with the economy.”
The president acknowledged that managing fiscal policy during a period of economic adjustment presents significant challenges but expressed confidence in Oyedele’s ability to contribute meaningfully to economic stability and growth. “It is a very challenging job because we look at the fiscal policy and responsibility that come with it at the time that economic stability is being experienced, but without exponential growth. It’s always very difficult, but you are fit to be there,” he said.
Oyedele, an economist, accountant and public policy expert from Ikaram-Akoko in Ondo State, brings decades of experience in fiscal policy and taxation to the role. Before joining government, he spent 22 years with PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he rose to become Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader after joining the firm in 2001.
He holds a Higher National Diploma in Accountancy and Finance from Yaba College of Technology and later earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes University. He has also completed executive education programmes at leading global institutions including the London School of Economics, Yale University, the Gordon Institute of Business Science, and the Harvard Kennedy School.
In addition to his government and professional roles, Oyedele is a professor at Babcock University in Ogun State and serves as a visiting scholar at the Lagos Business School.
