The Senate has confirmed Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe and Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye as Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The two nominees were confirmed following their screening by the Committee of the Whole during plenary on Wednesday.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier written to the Senate on Tuesday, requesting the confirmation of Tegbe and Enikanolaiye as ministers.
Relying on Section 147(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which grants the President authority to nominate ministers subject to Senate approval, Tinubu urged lawmakers to consider the request without delay.
During his screening, Tegbe cautioned that Nigeria’s power challenges demand firm and transparent reforms, emphasising that there are no quick solutions.
He told senators that a departure from past approaches is necessary.
“We will not do things the way we used to do before. I will not promise what I cannot deliver,” he said.
Tegbe, who was appointed Director-General of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership in 2025, described electricity as fundamental to national confidence, noting that years of reforms have yet to yield the desired outcomes.
He pledged decisive measures if confirmed, stressing that delivery would take precedence over promises. His priorities, he said, would include power distribution, metering, transparency, and greater involvement of sub-national governments.
“We must close the metering gap and ensure Nigerians can track performance through a transparent public dashboard. The sector must be properly structured, and the people deserve to see real improvement,” he stated.
He also indicated that state governments would be encouraged to generate electricity to reduce pressure on the national grid.
“We will come with clear milestones. If results are not visible in three months, they won’t be in six,” he added.