The Nigerian Senate has confirmed the appointment of two Commissioners of the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). Aisha Mahmud Kanti Bello has been re-appointed, while Dr. Animashaun Fouad Olayinka is a new appointee. The confirmation followed the consideration and adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Power, presented by its Chairman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe.
In a related development, the Senate also confirmed the nominations of three non-career ambassadors. The confirmed ambassadors are Lateef Kayode Kolawole Are from Ogun State, Aminu Muhammad Dalhatu from Jigawa State, and Emmanuel Ayodele Oke from Oyo State. The confirmations were based on the report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, which conducted the screening exercise.
These confirmations are part of a larger set of ambassadorial nominations submitted by President Tinubu. The President had forwarded the names of the three non-career ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation on November 26. This was the first list of ambassadorial nominees sent to the Senate by President Tinubu since he took office on May 29, 2023.
In addition to the confirmed nominees, President Tinubu has also nominated 64 other individuals for ambassadorial roles. The list includes a former governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and the immediate past chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu. Other notable nominees include former minister Femi Fani-Kayode, former presidential aide Reno Omokri, and former governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu.
The nominations also include career ambassadors and high commissioner-designates, such as Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu from Abia and Yakubu Nyaku Danladi from Taraba. The list of nominees is diverse, with four women on the career ambassadors’ list and six on the non-career ambassadors’ list.
The confirmation of the NERC Commissioners and the non-career ambassadors is a significant development in the country’s energy and foreign affairs sectors. The newly confirmed officials are expected to play key roles in shaping the country’s energy policy and representing Nigeria’s interests abroad. The Senate’s confirmation of these nominees brings the total number of confirmed ambassadors to five, with 64 other nominees still awaiting confirmation.
