Nigerian cabinet sworn in

Buhari appoints cabinet seven months after election.

Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party swore in a cabinet on 11 November, more than seven months after his election in March.

Buhari has appointed Kemi Adeosun, a British-born financial banker, to the role of finance minister. Adeosun, who was an unexpected choice, is credited with rooting out corruption in the southwestern Ogun state where she recently served as financial commissioner.

The 48-year-old Adeosun, who was raised and educated in London, takes up her post at a time when the oil-dependent nation has seen a fall in crude prices over the last year and its economy is growing at its slowest pace this decade.

She inherits a state treasury which has allegedly been looted by up to €20 billion in recent years according to claims by the former Central Bank governor Lamido Sanusi, who was fired from his post in February 2014 for questioning a dramatic shortfall in oil revenues and suggesting fraud on an enormous scale.

Adeosun's appointment is considered in line with Buhari's zero-tolerance against corruption which – along with tackling Boko Haram militants – has been his primary focus since his inauguration as president on 29 May.

As predicted, Buhari will take personal charge of the crucial oil portfolio, but will be assisted in the day-to-day running of the sector by the head of the state-run Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Ibe Kachikwu.

Buhari's announcement of 36 ministers (25 full ministers and 11 junior posts) follows his election as president on 28 March, when he beat his main rival, the former president Goodluck Jonathan of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

The president presented his nominees to the senate for approval at the end of September. They were finally approved at the end of October.