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Finance Minister Wale Edun Is Sick But Recuperating At Home, No Replacement Planned – Presidency
PHOTO
October 12, 2025
News
A senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, described Edun’s condition as somewhat serious but clarified that it is not related to a stroke. The official did not disclose the exact nature of the minister’s illness.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, is currently recuperating at his Abuja residence following an illness, and there are no plans by President Bola Tinubu to replace him, multiple sources within the Presidency told The PUNCH on Sunday.
A senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, described Edun’s condition as somewhat serious but clarified that it is not related to a stroke. The official did not disclose the exact nature of the minister’s illness.
A top government source confirmed the development on Sunday, describing Edun’s condition as “very serious”.
“It’s very serious. He may survive, but he can’t get back to work again,” the source told SaharaReporters.
The source further revealed that President Bola Tinubu had begun discreet consultations to identify a possible replacement for Edun following his health challenge.
But the government official told The PUNCH that though Edun’s ailment is a “bit serious”, he is not suffering from a stroke.
The official, however, failed to reveal the nature of Edun’s sickness.
“Yes, he’s indisposed. He’s sick, which is a bit serious, but it’s not a stroke,” the source told The PUNCH, adding that Edun is “in his house”.
“He has not been flown anywhere,” the source said. “Of course, he might seek medical attention elsewhere if the doctors say that it is necessary. So, it’s not true that he has stroke.
“He doesn’t have stroke. Which is why we put it in the statement that he is indisposed.”
Also, according to Rockshock News, sources indicated that Edun has not been flown abroad.
Another official confirmed to The PUNCH that Edun is receiving treatment from Nigerian doctors and may seek medical care overseas if the need arises.
“They’re still monitoring him. If he needs medical care outside Nigeria, he will go. But he’s still at home,” he said, adding, “There are no plans to replace him.“
Meanwhile, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, confirmed to The PUNCH that the minister is receiving medical treatment in Nigeria.
“Yes, he’s indisposed. Wale Edun is about 69 years old. He suddenly fell ill. As we are talking, he is in Nigeria. He is recuperating. He’s around,” Onanuga said on Sunday evening.
Earlier, the Presidency confirmed that Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, would lead the country’s delegation to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings in Washington, DC, starting Monday, October 13, in place of Wale Edun.
According to Onanuga, “Cardoso, as the alternate Governor, replaces the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, who is indisposed.”
The statement added that the Nigerian delegation will also include the Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka-Anete.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu departed Abuja on Sunday, October 12, for Rome, the capital of Italy, to participate in the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government Level Meeting, with special focus on the security crisis in West Africa.
The meeting, which will begin on October 14, will bring together Heads of State and Government, senior intelligence and military officials from African countries, and representatives of intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations to discuss the evolving security challenges in West Africa.
The Aqaba Process Meeting is a counter-terrorism initiative launched by King Abdullah II of Jordan in 2015. It is co–chaired by the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Italian Government.
It recognises the complex security challenges confronting West Africa, including the expansion of terrorist networks, the growing crime-terror nexus, and the increasing overlap between land-based terrorism in the Sahel and the maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
Edun was appointed by President Tinubu as Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy on August 21, 2023. Their professional relationship dates back to Tinubu’s tenure as Governor of Lagos State, where Edun served as Commissioner for Finance from 1999 to 2004.
He has overseen Nigeria’s fiscal policy, economic planning, and coordination of financial institutions.
Edun has been a central figure in Tinubu’s economic team since his appointment in August 2023; therefore, his temporary exit could impact ongoing fiscal reforms and budget planning.
Despite health concerns, he was recently involved in budget discussions with the Senate on Thursday.
