List Of All Ministers Of Transportation In Nigeria (1999-Present)
The Ministry of Transportation in Nigeria is responsible for managing the country’s transportation systems. This includes roads, railways, air travel, and shipping.
This military was founded by General Murtala Mohammed, during a military government, and the ministry’s goal is to improve how people and goods move around the country.
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List Of All Ministers Of Transportation In Nigeria (1999-Present)
| Minister | Term | Political Party |
|---|---|---|
| Kemafo Nonyerem Chikwe | 1999-2001 | PDP |
| Ojo Maduekwe | 2001-2003 | PDP |
| Abiye Precious Sekibo | 2003-2007 | PDP |
| Diezani Agama | 2007-2008 | PDP |
| Ibrahim Bio | 2008-2010 | PDP |
| Yusuf Sulaiman | 2010-2011 | PDP |
| Idris A.Umar | 2011-2015 | PDP |
| Rotimi Amaechi | 2019-2022 | APC |
| Mu'azu Jaji Sambo | 2022-2023 | APC |
| Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali | 2023-Present | APC |
Who Was The First Minister Of Transportation In Nigeria?
Chief Bode Thomas was the first Minister of Transportation in Nigeria. He was a notable figure in Nigeria’s history, especially during the colonial era when the country was still under British rule.
Bode Thomas came from a prominent family. His father, Andrew Thomas, was a wealthy trader and auctioneer from Oyo, who later moved to Lagos.
Bode Thomas was also the great-grandson of Alaafin Abiodun, a former ruler of Oyo. His early education took place at C.M.S. Grammar School, a missionary school founded by Thomas Babington Macaulay and James Pinson Labulo Davies.
After finishing school, Bode Thomas worked briefly as a junior clerk at the Nigerian Railway Corporation. However, he left this job to go to London to study law.
He was called to the bar in 1942 and returned to Nigeria to start a successful law practice in Lagos. In 1948, he teamed up with Chief Frederick Rotimi Williams and Chief Remilekun Fani-Kayode to establish the law firm “Thomas, Williams, and Kayode.”
Bode Thomas’s political career began in 1946 when he became the legal adviser for Egbe Omo Oduduwa, a Yoruba cultural group.
He was also one of the founding members of the Action Group, a political party. Before joining the Action Group, he was a successful lawyer in Lagos and a member of the Nigerian Youth Movement.
He was one of the first prominent Nigerian politicians to argue for regional-based political parties, believing that they could best develop their regions and form coalitions at the national level.
As the Balogun of Oyo, a title he received in 1949, he worked to bring tribal chiefs and kings into the Action Group, using his experience and influence to help mobilize support.
In 1951, under the McPherson Constitution, Bode Thomas represented the Western region as Minister of Transport. He was a strong advocate for Nigeria’s self-governance.
For all that, he resigned from this position during a constitutional crisis in March 1953. Later, he served as the Minister of Works after a Constitutional Conference in London.
Bode Thomas was known for his brilliance and ambition, but also his arrogance. He had strained relationships with some local leaders, such as Sir Ahmadu Bello and Alaafin Adeyemi II.
A notable incident occurred at an Oyo Divisional Council meeting where he was reportedly rude to the Alaafin for not standing up in respect to him, even though the Alaafin was a member of the council and Bode Thomas was the chairman.
This incident highlighted the tensions between traditional and colonial authority figures. Bode Thomas married Lucretia Shobola Odunsi, and they had children, including Eniola and Dapo.
He was also involved in religious and editorial activities, serving as the chancellor of the African Church of Nigeria and as a member of the editorial board of the Daily Service.
Sadly, Bode Thomas’s life was cut short when he fell ill on November 22, 1953, after returning from Oyo. Despite efforts to treat him in Ijebu-Igbo, he died on November 23, 1953, on his daughter’s second birthday.
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Current Minister Of Transportation In Nigeria
The current Minister of Transportation in Nigeria is Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali, appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on August 16, 2023.
Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali was born on February 12, 1969, in Gombe State, Nigeria. He has a background in economics, holding a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics.
And, he has served in different political roles, gaining experience and respect from becoming the minister of transportation.
He was a Senator for the Gombe North senatorial district. Alkali was first elected in August 2010 after the death of the incumbent Senator, Kawu Peto Dukku.
In the 2011 General Elections, he was re-elected, representing the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). However, he faced challenges within his party and did not secure the party’s ticket in the 2014 primaries.
This led him to switch to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019, where he won his seat again. Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali’s political career has had its ups and downs.
He lost his seat in the 2023 general elections to former Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, whom he had defeated in the 2019 elections.
Before his time as a senator, Alkali also served as the Commissioner of Information under Governor Danjuma Goje’s administration.
Also, Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali holds the honorary title of Sarkin Gabas Dukku. He is also recognized as a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Administration.
