Wale Edun, Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, has been transported to the United Kingdom to receive medical care, according to multiple government insiders who confirmed the news on Tuesday morning.
This update, initially shared by the online publication Western Post, was verified by a high-ranking government official.
The official affirmed the move, stating, “It’s accurate; he has departed Nigeria.”
Reports indicate that Edun traveled from Abuja to Lagos on Monday evening via a commercial airline before boarding a British Airways flight to London later that night.
Prior to his departure, Presidency officials had maintained that Edun was recuperating at his residence in Abuja under the care of local medical practitioners.
“He is unwell. The condition is somewhat serious, though it is not a stroke. As of now, he remains at home and has not been flown abroad,” a senior government source revealed on Sunday.
Another close aide mentioned that President Tinubu has been monitoring Edun’s health closely but emphasized that there are currently “no intentions to replace him.”
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga also acknowledged the finance minister‘s illness, noting that Edun was initially receiving treatment within Nigeria.
“Yes, he is unwell. Wale Edun, who is approximately 69 years old, suddenly became ill. At this moment, he is still in Nigeria and recuperating. He is present,” Onanuga stated on Sunday.
It is important to note that the Presidency dismissed speculation on Sunday about President Tinubu planning to substitute Edun, although it confirmed that the minister would be absent from this year’s World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Annual Meetings held in Washington, D.C.
In Edun’s stead, Central Bank Governor Olayemi Cardoso is leading Nigeria’s delegation at the international finance conference, which began on Tuesday, October 14.
Since his appointment on August 28, 2023, Wale Edun has played a pivotal role in advancing the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms, including the elimination of fuel subsidies, the harmonization of foreign exchange rates, and the implementation of fiscal policies designed to stabilise the naira and reduce inflationary pressures.
Edun’s extensive experience includes serving as Lagos State Commissioner for Finance from 1999 to 2004 under Governor Tinubu, as well as co-founding the investment banking firm Denham Management Limited.
