Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has dismissed five ministers and appointed seven new ministers in a major cabinet reshuffle aimed at streamlining his administration, the president’s office announced on Wednesday.
The unrest comes amid worsening economic woes and dissatisfaction with the government in Africa’s most populous country.
According to the statement, Mr. Tinubu appointed new ministers for humanitarian and poverty reduction, trade and investment, labor and livestock development, and permanent ministers for foreign affairs, education and housing.
The ministers of education, tourism, women’s issues and youth development and the deputy minister of housing were dismissed.
Tinubu took office last year and introduced reforms aimed at cutting government spending and boosting dwindling foreign investment.
But now, more than a year later, Nigeria’s inflation rate is at its highest level in 28 years and the naira currency is at an all-time low against the dollar.
Discontent over the cost of living crisis has led to several large-scale protests in recent days. In August, at least 20 people were shot dead and hundreds arrested during protests demanding better opportunities and jobs for young people.
Despite being Africa’s leading oil producer, Nigeria remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Chronic corruption means that civil servants’ lifestyles rarely reflect those of ordinary people, while medical professionals often go on strike to protest meager wages.
Last year, Tinubu approved spending millions of dollars on a presidential yacht and sport utility vehicle for his wife and senior government officials.
