Nigerian President Sacks Two Ministers in Rare Reshuffle and Global Health Concerns Amid COVID-19

Strategic Insights -

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has made a rare cabinet reshuffle, sacking two ministers, Agriculture and Rural Development Mohammed Sabo Nanono and Ministry of Power Sale Mamman, and redeploying two others. The move is part of Buhari's administration's strategy of independent self-review, aimed at improving economic management and public service delivery. However, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party has criticized the move as an attempt to mask the president's failure in office.

Key Takeaways:

  • Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has sacked two ministers, Mohammed Sabo Nanono and Sale Mamman, and redeployed two others as part of a rare cabinet reshuffle.
  • The reshuffle is aimed at improving economic management and public service delivery, as per Buhari's administration's strategy of independent self-review.
  • The Peoples Democratic Party has criticized the move as an attempt to mask the president's failure in office.
  • The cabinet reshuffle is the first in the over six-year-old administration of President Buhari.
  • Mohammed Sabo Nanono was replaced as agriculture minister by Mohammad Abubakar, his counterpart at the environment ministry.
  • Sale Mamman was replaced as power minister by Abubakar Aliyu, the minister of state for works and housing.

Statistics:

  • 2 ministers sacked by President Buhari in the rare cabinet reshuffle.
  • 2 ministers redeployed as part of the reshuffle.
  • 6 years of Buhari's administration, with this being the first cabinet reshuffle.
  • 88 vaccination sites used during the first phase of the vaccination exercise in Lagos State.
  • 20 days for the administration of second doses of the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine in Lagos State.
  • 352,000 Nigerians migrated to other countries as refugees in 2020, 19% higher than 296,000 refugees recorded in 2019.
  • 2 million people internally displaced in Nigeria due to violent attacks and insecurity.
  • 3.4 million people facing acute hunger and 300,000 children suffering from acute malnutrition in some North-eastern states.

Sources:

  • Nigerian President Sacks Two Ministers in Rare Reshuffle, [The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.ng/news/nigerian-president-sacks-two-ministers-in-rare-reshuffle).
  • WHO says the new Mu Variant from Colombia could be vaccine resistant, [Africa News](https://www.africanews.ch/2021/08/30/who-says-new-coronavirus-variant-mu-from-colombia-could-be-vaccine-resistant/).
  • Lagos resumes rollout of Astrezeneca Covid vaccine, [Vanguard News](https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/08/lagos-resumes-rollout-of-astrezeneca-covid-vaccine/).
  • Nigerian Breweries announces return of Gulder Ultimate Search, [Channels Television](https://www.channelstv.com/2021/08/25/nigerian-breweries-announces-return-of-gulder-ultimate-search/).
  • Nigerians fleeing country as refugees hit five-year high in 2020, [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/25/nigerians-fleeing-country-as-refugees-hit-five-year-high-in-2020).
  • Nigeria's telecom growth slows for sixth quarter over NIN, [Pulse Nigeria](https://www.pulsenigeria.com/news/nigerias-telecom-growth-slows-for-sixth-quarter-over-nin/).