The excessive use of coercion and selective arrest of civilians during the regime of Major Gen. Muhammadu Buhari led to the downfall of his government. His Chief of Army, the ambitious Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida kicked Buhari and his deputy Maj.-Gen. Tunde Idiagbon out of office through a military coup.
Although IBB’s coup like every other military was illegitimate, millions of Nigerians who had been praying for the end of the Buhari regime celebrated his ouster on August 27, 1985.
The first thing Babangida did was to add the title of “President” instead of “Head of State” associated with a military leader who came through illegitimate use of the gun.
Second, he constituted his cabinet comprising the civilians and some of his trusted military friends.
The cabinet of Ibrahim Babangida’s military regime had him as the chair, his Chief of General Staff as the deputy of the cabinet.
His regime managed 23 federal ministries between 1985 till 1993 when he said he was stepping aside.
Below is a list of ministers who served under the military junta of Gen Babangida
| Ministry | Ministers | Years in office | Remark |
| Petroleum | Tam David-West | 1985 to to 1986 | David-West was IBB’s major critic after the regime sacked him. |
| Rilwan Lukman | 1986 to 1989 | ||
| Jibril Aminu | 1989 to 1992 | ||
| Chu Okongwu | 1992 to 1993 | ||
| Trade | Gado Nasko | 1985 to 1986 | |
| Samaila Mamman | 1986 to 1989 | ||
| Senas Ukpanah | 1989 to 1992 | ||
| Agriculture | Alani Akinrinade | 1985 to 1986 | |
| Gado Nasko | 1986 to 1989 | ||
| Samaila Mamman | 1989 to 1989 | ||
| Shettima Mustapha | 1989 to 1992 | ||
| Defense | Domkat Bali | 1985 to 1990 | Sani Abacha indirectly took over power from IBB through another illegitimate interim government constituted by Babangida. Abacha died in office July, 1998. His cause of death remains unknown. |
| Sani Abacha | 1990 to 1993 | ||
| Education | Jibril Aminu | 1985 to 1990 | The ministry of education was headed by two most fantastic men |
| Babs Fafunwa | 1990 to 1992 | ||
| Industry | Bunu Sheriff Musa | 1985 to 1986 | |
| Alani Akinrinade | 1986 to 1989 | ||
| Mohammed Yahaya | 1989 to 1991 | ||
| Finance Ministry | Chu Okongwu | 1986 to 1990 | |
| Olu Falae | 1990 to 1990 | ||
| Abubakar Alhaji | 1990 to 1993 | ||
| Communications | Tanko Ayuba | 1985 to 1987 | David Mark, a retired army general later became president of the senate after the end of military rule in Nigeria |
| David Mark | 1987 to 1990 | ||
| Olawale Ige | 1990 to 1992 | ||
| External Affairs it’s now called Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Bolaji Akinyemi | 1985 to 1987 | The the time of Bolaji Akinyemi as the Foreign Affairs minister, Nigeria had a clear foreign policy though it was during a military junta |
| Ike Nwachukwu | 1987 to 1989 | ||
| Rilwan Lukman | 1989 to 1990 | ||
| Ike Nwachukwu | 1990 to 1993 | ||
| Mines and Power | Tam David-West | 1986 to 1986 | This ministry was divided into two: 1) Ministry of Mine and Steel, 2) Ministry of Power |
| Bunu Sheriff Musa | 1986 to 1989 | ||
| Nura Imam | 1989 to 1991 | ||
| Works and Housing | Hamza Abdullahi | 1985 to 19876 | |
| Abubakar Umar | 1986 to 1988 | ||
| Mamman Kontagora | 1988 to 1993 | ||
| Sports and Youth | Ahmed Abdullahi | 1985 to 1986 | |
| Bayo Lawal | 1986 to 1989 | ||
| Anthony Ikhazoboh | 1990 to 1991 | ||
| Y.Y. Kure | 1991 to 1992 | ||
| Aviation | Anthony Okpere | 1987 to 1989 | |
| Alabo Graham Douglas | 1989 to 1992 | ||
| Health | Olikoye Ransome-Kuti | 1985 to 1992 | He was minister of health until he joined the World Health Organization as the Deputy Director-General in 1992 |
| Internal Affairs (Ministry of Interior) | John Shagaya | 1985 to 1990 | |
| Lamba Gwom | 1990 to 1990 | ||
| Bagudu Mamman | 1990 to 1992 | ||
| Tunji Olagunju | 1992 to 1993 | ||
| Justice | Bola Ajibola | 1985 to 1992 | |
| Clement Akpamgbo | 1992 to 1993 | ||
| Information | Anthony Ukpo | 1985 to 1986 | |
| Tony Momoh | 1986 to 1990 | ||
| Alex Akinyele | 1990 to 1991 | ||
| Budget and Planning | Kalu Idika Kalu | 1985 to 1988 | |
| Abubakar Alhaji | 1988 to 1990 | ||
| Chu Okongwu | 1990 to 1992 | ||
| Transport | Jeremiah Useni | 1985 to 1988 | |
| Kalu I Kalu | 1988 to 1989 | ||
| Alani Akinrinade | 1989 to 1990 | ||
| Lamba Gwon | 1990 to 1992 | ||
| Special Duties | Aboyi Shekari | 1986 to 1989 | |
| Hamza Abdullahi | 1989 to 1990 | ||
| Science and Technology | Emmanuel Emovon | 1985 to 1989 | |
| Gordian Ezekwe | 1989 to 1992 | ||
| Employment and Labour | Patrick Koshoni | 1985 to 1986 | |
| Ike Nwachukwu | 1986 to 1987 | ||
| Abubakar Umar | 1988 to 1990 | ||
| Bunu Sheriff Musa | 1990 to 1992 | ||
| Federal Capital Territory | Mamman Vatsa | 1985-1986 | Vatsa was accused of planning a coup against the government of Babangida and found guilty by the military tribunal, he was executed on March 5, 1986 |
| Hamza Abdullahi | 1986-1989 | ||
| Gado Nasko | 1989-1993 | ||
| No of ministries during the Babangida military regime | 23 ministries | ||
NOTE: Babangida regime conducted 1993 presidential election which was won by the Chief Moshood Kashimalo Olawale Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), but the election was annulled by the IBB’s military regime. The election was adjudged free and fair.
Instead, Babangida inaugurated an Interim Government that had no defined mandate. It was headed by Ernest Shonekan, who Sani Abacha forced to sign an undertaking in a palace coup on November 17, 1993.
