How Bianca Ojukwu received news of her elevation to full minister

President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, elevated Mrs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu to the Minister for Foreign Affairs without her pre knowledge.

Daily Insider reports that the knowledge of her conversation from Minister of State for Foreign Affairs to the substantive Minister of Foreign Affairs was disclosed to her while she was in the middle of an official assignment in Abuja.

The Minister's Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Dr. Magnus Eze disclosed that the Minister received the information while hosting a dinner organised by the Ministry, concluding a three-day induction course for the Ambassadors and High Commissioners-Designate as well as their spouses in Abuja, on Wednesday.

Subsequently, the minister expressed deep gratitude to President Tinubu for appointing her the substantive minister of Foreign Affairs.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu assumed office as minister of State for Foreign Affairs on November 4, 2024 and was elevated to Minister of Foreign Affairs on April 29 2026.

Addressing the Ambassadors and High Commissioners-Designate, the diplomatic community and other guests in what turned out her first official function as the substative minister of the Ministry, Odumegwu-Ojukwu thanked President Tinubu for finding her worthy of the position. 

She urged the Ambassadors and High Commissioners-Designate, staff and Management of the Ministry to join hands with her in giving Nigeria good international image while also protecting national interests.

In a post in her X handle (former twitter), the minister said: "Yesterday, 29th April 2026, I was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by H.E President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

"I am truly honoured to step into this new position, and wish to express my most profound appreciation to our Nation's President. Your Excellency, I am truly humbled by your trust and confidence in my abilities.

"I look forward to contributing even more to the continued success of the 4D Foreign Policy Priorities of the Renewed Hope Agenda, our citizen diplomacy imperatives, and reaffirm to the good people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, my unwavering commitment towards advancing our national Interests in the global arena."