ABUJA — The Presidency says Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, is recuperating and “in good spirits,” following days of speculation about his health.
In a weekend staffing change, the Presidency named Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Olayemi Cardoso to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings opening Monday in Washington, D.C., noting Cardoso would step in as alternate governor for Nigeria while Edun is “indisposed.”
Rumours that Edun suffered a stroke and was flown abroad were dismissed by presidential aides. Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, first confirmed the delegation switch on Sunday night, while stressing there was no cause for alarm.
Offering a further update on Monday, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Sunday Dare, said he spoke directly with Edun in Abuja. “Moments ago, I got off the phone with Nigeria’s Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, in Abuja,” Dare posted on X. “We spoke for a few minutes with assurances he was getting better. I wished him the best of health.”
Edun is a central figure in President Bola Tinubu’s economic team, coordinating fiscal policy alongside monetary measures aimed at stabilising the naira, curbing inflation and restoring growth. Under his watch, the administration has pursued wide-ranging reforms, including exchange-rate unification moves, tighter public finance management and efforts to broaden the revenue base.
Cardoso’s leadership of the Washington delegation ensures Nigeria maintains a high-level presence at the annual meetings, where global economic prospects, financing for development, and debt and monetary policy priorities will dominate discussions. The CBN governor has been a key counterpart to Edun in the government’s macroeconomic stabilisation drive.
Officials did not provide a timeline for Edun’s return to full duties, but reiterated that he remains engaged and is recovering. “There is continuity in the economic management team,” one senior aide said, pointing to established coordination between the finance ministry and the central bank ahead of the Washington sessions.
Public interest in Edun’s health had intensified after the delegation reshuffle was announced. The Presidency urged Nigerians to disregard unfounded claims and said further updates would be provided as necessary.
