
List Of All Ministers Of Work In Nigeria (1951-Present)
The Ministry of Labour and Employment in Nigeria was set up in 1951. It was created to manage issues related to work, jobs, and workers’ rights.
The ministry helps to make sure that workers are treated fairly and that there are enough jobs for people. It also works with different groups, like trade unions and businesses, to improve working conditions and create more job opportunities.
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List Of All Ministers Of Work In Nigeria
Minister | Start Term | End Term |
---|---|---|
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa | 1951 | 1954 |
Inuwa Wada | 1955 | 1 October 1960 |
Inuwa Wada | 1 October 1960 | May 1965 |
Shehu Shagari | May 1965 | 16 January 1966 |
Femi Okunnu | 6 July 1967 | 1975 |
Olusegun Obasanjo | January 1975 | 29 July 1975 |
Olufemi Olumide | 29 July 1975 | 1976 |
Orho Esio Obada | 1976 | 1977 |
Oberu Aribiah | March 1977 | 24 July 1978 |
Muhammed Shuwa | 24 July 1978 | 1979 |
Sunday Essang | December 1979 | October 1983 |
Emmanuel Nsan | October 1983 | 1984 |
Hamza Abdullahi | 1984 | 1985 |
Abubakar Umar | 1985 | 23 December 1987 |
Mohammed Kontagora | 23 December 1987 | 1993 |
Barnabas Gemade | August 1993 | 17 November 1993 |
Lateef Jakande | November 1993 | March 1995 |
Abdulkareem Adisa | March 1995 | December 1997 |
Garba Ali Mohammed | December 1997 | June 1999 |
Anthony Anenih | June 1999 | July 2003 |
Adeseye Ogunlewe | July 2003 | March 2006 |
Obafemi Anibaba | March 2006 | September 2006 |
Cornelius Adebayo | September 2006 | January 2007 |
Hassan Muhammed Lawal | 17 December 2008 | 17 March 2010 |
Mohammed Daggash | 6 April 2010 | July 2011 |
Mike Onolememen | July 2011 | November 2015 |
Babatunde Fashola | 11 November 2015 | 29 May 2023 |
Dave Umahi | 21 August 2023 | Incumbent |
Who Was The First Minister Of Work In Nigeria?
The first Minister of Works in Nigeria was Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, who was instrumental in Nigeria’s early development and government formation.
Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was born in December 1912 in Bauchi. He had his early education in Qur’anic schools before continuing his studies in Western-style schools.
After attending Tafawa Balewa Elementary School and Bauchi Provincial School, he furthered his education at Barewa College in Katsina.
Balewa’s dedication to education was evident from his early years. He trekked long distances to attend school and later went abroad to study at the University of London’s Institute of Education.
Upon returning to Nigeria, Balewa started his career as a teacher and later became the headmaster of Bauchi Middle School.
In 1946, he joined the political space by being elected to the Northern House of Assembly and later to the Legislative Council in 1947. His early political work focused on advocating for the rights and interests of Northern Nigeria.
Balewa’s political career gained momentum when he, along with Sir Ahmadu Bello, helped transform the cultural organization Jam’iyyar Mutanen Arewa into the Northern People’s Congress (NPC).
Balewa was elected Vice President of NPC, and his political influence grew as the party won regional elections. In 1952, Balewa became Nigeria’s Minister of Works.
In this role, he was responsible for overseeing major infrastructure projects, which involved managing the construction and maintenance of roads, bridges, and other public works that were essential for Nigeria’s development.
Balewa’s contributions were not limited to his role as Minister of Works. He also served as Nigeria’s Minister of Transport.
During his time in the transport ministry, he oversaw the transformation of the Marine and Railway departments into independent corporations.
He also played a key part in planning the construction of a bridge over the Niger River and the Kainji Dam, both of which were major projects for Nigeria.
In 1957, Balewa became the Chief Minister of Nigeria and, later, the Prime Minister when Nigeria gained independence in 1960. His tenure as Prime Minister was seen by his efforts to unify Nigeria and promote a sense of national identity.
He formed a coalition government that included different regional parties to ensure broad representation and cooperation among Nigeria’s diverse ethnic groups.
Tragically, Balewa’s life and political career were cut short when he was overthrown and murdered in a military coup on January 15, 1966.
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Who Is The Current Minister Of Work In Nigeria?
The current Minister of Works in Nigeria is David Nweze Umahi. He was born on July 25, 1963, in Uburu, which is now in Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
David Umahi is a popular politician in Nigeria, having served In different positions in the government over the years. David Umahi became the Minister of Works on August 21, 2023, appointed by President Bola Tinubu.
He was the Senator for Ebonyi South, serving from June 13, 2023, to August 2023. Before that, he was the Governor of Ebonyi State from May 29, 2015, to May 29, 2023.
He also served as the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State from 2011 to 2015. David Umahi went to Government Secondary School, Afikpo, for his secondary education.
Later, he attended Anambra State University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering in 1987.
Before joining politics, David Umahi worked in the engineering and construction industry. In 1990, he co-founded Norman Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited with Ombo Isokarari.
He worked as the general manager of the company until 1993, before he became the chairman and CEO of several companies, including Brass Engineering & Construction Nigeria Limited, Focus Investment Nigeria Limited, and Osborn La Palm Royal Resort Limited.
David Umahi’s political career started in 2007 when he became the acting chairman of the Ebonyi State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
He served as the state chairman of the PDP from 2009 to 2011. During his time as the state chairman, he also served on the governing board of the Federal Medical Centre in Asaba as its chairman.
In 2011, David Umahi became the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, serving under Governor Martin Elechi. However, in 2014, there was a disagreement between Umahi and Governor Elechi.
Governor Elechi supported Onyebuchi Chukwu, the Minister of Health, as his successor, which Umahi did not agree with.
Umahi decided to run for governor and won the primaries. He was elected as the Governor of Ebonyi State on April 12, 2015, on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
David Umahi was re-elected as the Governor of Ebonyi State on March 16, 2019. He won the election by a large margin, defeating the candidate from the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sonny Ogbuoji.
In 2020, Umahi decided to leave the PDP and join the APC. He officially defected to the APC on November 17, 2020, saying that one of the reasons for his defection was that the PDP had been unfair to the Southeast Geopolitical Zone.
He also stated that the PDP had been hijacked by a few individuals. In January 2022, David Umahi declared his intention to run for the office of the President of Nigeria in the 2023 general elections.
This was after consulting with President Muhammadu Buhari. However, his earlier statement when he defected to the APC was that he would quit politics after his tenure as governor.
David Umahi faced some challenges during his political career. On March 8, 2022, he and his deputy, Eric Kelechi Igwe, were sacked by the Federal High Court in Abuja for defecting to the APC while in office.
The court said that the votes given to Umahi belonged to the PDP. On April 1, 2022, the Court of Appeal in Enugu State affirmed Umahi as the Governor of Ebonyi State, saying that his defection to the APC was immoral but not unconstitutional.
David Umahi has also faced corruption allegations. In January 2021, it was reported that he had transferred more than ₦3.6 billion in government money to his company, Brass Engineering & Construction Nigeria Limited, during his tenure as deputy governor and governor.
Umahi denied the allegations and sued the newspaper that reported the story for defamation. David Umahi is married to Rachael Umahi, and they have children.
In October 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari conferred on him the Nigerian national honor of Commander Of The Order Of The Niger (CON).