Following a recent cabinet reshuffle announced by President Bola Tinubu, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole has been appointed as the new Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, marking a significant chapter in her illustrious career. She succeeds Dr. Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite, who has been reassigned as the Minister of State for Finance.
This appointment comes after her confirmation by the Senate, positioning Oduwole at the forefront of driving Nigeria’s industrial and trade policies. Known for her depth of expertise and strategic vision, Oduwole has been described as a “round peg in a round hole” due to her vast experience in governance, academia, and development. Her most recent position was as the Special Adviser to the President on the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) and Investment, a role she handled with finesse.
Oduwole’s reputation as a champion of innovation in governance precedes her. From 2015 to 2023, she served under the Buhari administration, first as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade, and Investment, where she played a key role in creating the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations. Later, as the Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business, she pioneered the executive mandate to make Nigeria a progressively easier place to conduct business. Her outstanding efforts earned her national recognition as a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR).
Dr. Oduwole’s global influence is equally remarkable. In 2013, she was named the Prince Claus Chair, a prestigious visiting professorship in Development and Equity at the University of Utrecht, Netherlands. She has also served as a Governance Advisor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and sits on the Board of Trustees of the Mandela Institute for Development Studies (MINDS). Her leadership trajectory includes membership in the Africa Leadership Institute’s West Africa cohort and the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Fellowship.
A seasoned academic with four law degrees from the University of Lagos, Cambridge University, and Stanford University, Oduwole previously held a senior lectureship at the University of Lagos. Her transition from academia to public service is underscored by her earlier career in corporate and investment banking at GTBank PLC and FCMB Capital Markets.
Oduwole’s passion for nation-building and economic development drives her continued mentorship of Nigerian youth. With over 20 years of impact across sectors, her leadership in the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment is expected to bring transformational progress to Nigeria’s economy.
Outside her professional life, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole enjoys street photography and is happily married with two children.
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