President Bola Tinubu has dissolved the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, merging its functions with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) under the newly established Ministry of Regional Development. This decision was announced after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, October 23, as confirmed by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga.

According to Onanuga, the president has dissolved both the Ministry of Niger Delta and the Ministry of Sports Development. Furthermore, Tinubu has approved the consolidation of the Ministry of Tourism with the Ministry of Culture and Creative Economy.

“President Tinubu and Federal Executive Council scrap Niger Delta Ministry and the Ministry of sports development.

“There will now be a ministry of regional development to oversee all the regional development commissions, such as Niger Delta Development Commission, North West Development Commission, South West Development Commission, North East Development Commission.The National Sports Commission will take over the role of the Ministry of Sports.

“The FEC also approved the merger of the Ministry of Tourism with the Ministry of Culture and Creative Economy,” Onanuga said.

The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs was primarily responsible for coordinating development projects and addressing the socio-economic challenges in the Niger Delta region. Meanwhile, the NDDC, established in 2000, has focused on the infrastructure development and environmental restoration of the oil-producing Niger Delta, aiming to tackle the region’s ecological degradation and ensure its sustainable development.

With the consolidation of these two bodies, the newly created Ministry of Regional Development will streamline efforts across all regional development commissions, including those in the North East, North West, and South West, ensuring a more unified approach to addressing local needs. For the Niger Delta, this merger is expected to enhance efficiency by eliminating overlapping functions between the Ministry and the NDDC. The region may now benefit from better-coordinated projects, improved resource allocation, and increased accountability, which could accelerate much-needed infrastructure development, environmental protection, and economic growth.