President Bola Tinubu has approved a major policy change, granting ministers of state full authority to oversee the agencies and departments under their control.
Under the previous system, permanent secretaries were responsible for sending files related to their respective departments and agencies to senior ministers for final approval. This structure limited the decision-making power of ministers of state, reducing their roles to mostly ceremonial positions.
A source from the office of the head of service of the federation, speaking with The Cable, revealed that President Tinubu was dissatisfied with the old framework, believing it led to the “underutilization of the expertise and capabilities” of ministers of state.
“The president was not pleased with the prevailing governing structure, where ministers of state were just ministers in name,” the official said.
The new policy empowers ministers of state to grant all necessary administrative approvals within their areas of responsibility, allowing them to make decisions and direct actions independently. This reform is intended to “unleash” the full potential of cabinet members and ensure a more efficient and effective governance process.
President Tinubu’s cabinet consists of 48 ministers, 16 of whom hold junior positions. The ministries affected by the new directive include agriculture and food security, defence, education, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), foreign affairs, health, petroleum, humanitarian and poverty reduction, and women affairs. Other impacted ministries are works, regional development, labour and employment, finance, trade and investment, and housing and urban development.