Minister of Information in Nigeria from 1957 To Date

Kola Balogun is the first Nigeria Minister of Information while Muhammed Idris is the present Minister of Information and National Orientation.

The image-making of the ruling government of any country lies in the hands of the Minister of Information or whatever name it is called anywhere in the world.

From 1957 till January 15, 1966, there were three cabinets at the federal level by the government of Nigeria’s first (and last unless Nigeria goes back to the parliamentary system) Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.

At the time, specifically on August 30, 1957, the last Governor-General in Nigeria, Sir James Wilson Robertson, announced that Balewa had been appointed Prime Minister, what followed was the announcement of the first cabinet by the Balewa’s government and Kola Balogun, the National Secretary of the NCNC party became the first federal minister of information in Nigeria.

Note:

NCNC is one of Nigeria’s political parties before independence which means the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons.

And after the general elections of 1959, another cabinet was announced by the government and Theophilus Owolabi Shobowale Benson was announced as head of Nigeria’s Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, and Culture.

The last information minister during the government of Balewa was Ayo Rosiji. At the time of publication, Layiwola aka “Lai” Mohammed is the incumbent minister of Information and culture, a position he has been occupying since November 2015 till date.

Ministers of Information from 1957 till date are:

Ministers	Years in Office
Kola Balogun	1957 to 1959
Theophilus Owolabi Shobowale Benson popularly called T. O. S. Benson	1959 to December 8, 1964
Ayo Rosiji	1964 to 1966
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi’s cabinet	Unknown
Yakubu Gowon	Unknown
Gen. Murtala Ramat Muhammed cabinet	Unknown
Olusegun Obasanjo cabinet	Unknown
Garba Wushishi	February 1982 to October 1983
Sam Omeruah	1984 to 1985
Anthony Ukpo	1985-1986
Tony Momoh	1986-1990
Alex Akinyele	1990-1991
Walter Ofonagoro	March 20, 1995
Abdulsalam Abubakar Cabinet	Unknown
Dapo Sarumi	1999 to 2001
Prof Jerry Gana	May 29, 2001 to July 2003
Chukwuemeka Chikelu	July 2003 to June 2005
Frank Nweke Jr.	June 2005 to May 2007
John Ogar Odey	July 2007 to Dec 2008
Dora Akunyili	December 2008 to March 2010
Labaran Maku	December 2010 to March 2015
Patricia Naomi Akwashiki	March 2015 to May 2015
Layiwola “Lai” Mohammed	November 11, 2015 – May 29, 2023
Muhammed Idris	August 16, 2023 till date

The uniqueness of the ministers

Kola Balogun

Pioneer minister of Information in Nigeria. He was also the First President of the Nigeria Arts Council from 1958 to 1970

T.O.S. Benson

He was appointed to head the Ministry of Information, Broadcasting, and Culture. He was the first to occupy the position on Nigeria’s independence in 1960

Ayo Rosiji

He was the last in the Balewa’s government as mutinous soldiers on January 15, 1966, overthrew the government.

Sam Omeruah

After the overthrow of the government of Muhammadu Buhari on August 27, 1985, by Ibrahim Babangida, IBB announced his cabinet comprising the military and civilians. And IBB appointed Sam Omeruah as the minister of information.

Anthony Ukpo

First, as a minister of information, Stephen Anthony Ukpo was later announced as the military administrator of Rivers State.

Alex Akinyele

He was a renowned Public Relations expert and a retired customs officer. He would later become the chairman of the Nigerian Sports Commission (NSC).

Walter Ofonagoro

The eloquent Ofonagoro was the most famous minister during the military junta of Sani Abacha. He would be remembered for opening up the broadcasting industry in Nigeria and the foundation that led to licencing of private broadcasting stations in Nigeria.

Labaran Maku

He resigned to contest the 2015 governorship election in Nararawa under APGA. He lost to Umaru Tanko Al-Makura

Layiwola “Lai” Mohammed

Lai Mohammed was a former Chief of Staff to former Lagos State governor Bola Tinubu. He was the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressive Congress (APC) before the coalition that produced Buhari as the winner of the elections in 2015

Timeline of Obasanjo’s cabinet reshuffle:

• June 2000
• January 2001
• December 2004
• June 2005
• January 10, 2007

Since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999, the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo in the Fourth republic had the most cabinet reshuffle to date.

He is also known for merging and splitting ministries for efficiency and management