Tinubu Confirms Wale Edun’s Illness, Gives Fresh Order

• President Bola Tinubu has confirmed that Finance Minister Wale Edun is indisposed and will not attend the IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington D.C.

• The CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, will now lead Nigeria’s delegation to the global summit.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has confirmed that Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, is indisposed and will not attend the upcoming World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Annual Meetings in Washington D.C.

According to a statement released Sunday night by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, will now lead Nigeria’s delegation to the global economic summit, which opens on Monday, October 13, 2025.

The statement added that Cardoso, who serves as Nigeria’s alternate governor at the Bretton Woods Institutions, will represent the country in place of Mr. Edun. The delegation will also include the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, and other top government officials.

“Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, the Governor of the Central Bank, will lead Nigeria’s delegation to the World Bank and IMF Annual Meeting in Washington DC, which opens on Monday, October 13,” the statement confirmed. “Cardoso, as the alternate governor, replaces the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, who is indisposed.”

The presidency disclosed that the meetings will feature key sessions such as the Development Committee Plenary on October 16, and the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) meeting on October 17, alongside high-level discussions on global financial stability and economic recovery.

DON’T MISS: BREAKING: Nigeria’s Finance Minister Wale Edun Hospitalised Over Undisclosed Ailment

Meanwhile, reports indicate that Mr. Edun was flown abroad for emergency medical treatment following a suspected stroke, with sources describing his condition as “serious” and marked by partial paralysis.

A senior government official reportedly said President Tinubu has begun discreet consultations to identify a temporary replacement, given Edun’s central role in Nigeria’s economic management.

Edun, a long-time ally and trusted economic adviser to President Tinubu, was appointed Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy in August 2023. He previously served as Commissioner for Finance, Lagos State (1999–2004) during Tinubu’s tenure as governor.

Since taking office, Edun has overseen major economic reforms, including the unification of Nigeria’s foreign exchange rate, fuel subsidy removal, and national budget restructuring — reforms considered pivotal to Tinubu’s economic agenda. His sudden illness raises concerns about policy continuity amid Nigeria’s fragile economic recovery.

Tinubu Departs for Rome

Meanwhile, President Tinubu departed Abuja on Sunday evening for Rome, Italy, to attend the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government Meeting — a high-level counterterrorism forum co-chaired by the governments of Jordan and Italy.

The meeting, opening on October 14, will focus on emerging security threats in West Africa and the Sahel region, including terrorism, organised crime, and maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea.