Nigeria Senate names 20 nominees for president's new Cabinet

Nigeria's Senate announced 20 nominees for the Cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, representing all regions of this West African nation but including only three women in a team expected to fight endemic corruption.

Buhari is to hold the most powerful portfolio of petroleum in Africa's biggest oil producer.

Among the candidates is the recently appointed head of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corp, Harvard-educated Ibe Kachikwu.

Kachikwu has 30 years' experience in Nigeria's private oil sector and is touted to be minister of state running the petroleum ministry with Buhari's oversight.

The list includes former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, known for rehabilitating Lagos, and making Lagos state financially independent through local tax collection; humanitarian activist Kayode Fayemi; and  Rotimi Amaechi, the first rebel to defect from ousted President Goodluck Jonathan's party.

Women nominees include UN special adviser Amina Ibrahim and Kemi Adeosun, a corruption-fighting former state finance commissioner. 


N24