Meet Nigeria’s new foreign minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar

Yusuf Maitama Tuggar

Nigeria’s new foreign minister has been named by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He is Nigeria’s current ambassador to Germany, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar. He was appointed in 2017 as ambassador.

Tuggar succeeds Geoffrey Onyeama, who was in the post for almost eight years under President Muhammadu Buhari.

He was born 12 March 1967 in Bauchi, to parents who hailed from Gamawa.

His father was the organising secretary of the ruling Northern People’s Congress in the First Republic and later became a Senator in the Second Republic

Tuggar had his primary education in Kano, between 1972 and 1978. He had his secondary education in Ilorin, Kwara state between 1978 and 1983.

For his A-Level studies between 1983 and 1985, Tuggar travelled to East Sussex, England. Thereafter, between 1985 and 1989, he attended United States International University in San Diego, for a bachelors degree in international relations.

In 2013, he bagged Master of arts International Security at University of Bath UK and in 2017 MST International Relations, University of Cambridge UK.

After his bachelors degree in 1989 and National Youthh Service in 1990, Tuggar went into private business, offering consulting services in oil and gas.

According to his bio published by the Nigerian embassy in Germany, Tuggar was CEO Nordic Oil and Gas Services Limited, Lekki Lagos State, LBNERG LIMITED Port Harcourt, which provided offshore logistics services, OCCITANIA INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, Lekki Lagos State (Catering
Services, Country agents for Hyundai IT Company) and MOVIDO EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION LIMITED, Ikoyi Lagos State.

He was also the CEO of Tuguma Enterprises Limited, based in Kano and PETROIL TRADING LIMITED, based in Ikoyi Lagos State.

For a man born into a political family, it was not a surprise that Tuggar joined politics in the Fourth Republic.

He was a member of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, which fielded President Buhari in 2003. He was alos a member of President Buhari’s Congress for Progressive Change and was a founding member of the All Progressives Congress in 2013.

He was previously a member of the House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011 representing Gamawa in Bauchi. As a member of the House, he served as the chairman of the Public Procurement Committee.

He was also a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, among other committees.

He ran unsuccessfully twice for Governor of Bauchi State.