‘Finance Minister Wale Edun Recovering After Reported Stroke’ — Presidency

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has reportedly been flown abroad for urgent medical treatment after allegedly suffering a stroke.

According to reports, a top government source described Edun’s condition as “very serious,” revealing that he is receiving intensive medical care overseas. “He may survive, but he can’t get back to work again,” the source said, adding that the minister had suffered severe paralysis as a result of the stroke.

The source further disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has begun discreet consultations to identify a possible replacement for Edun, whose health crisis comes amid growing economic and foreign exchange pressures. “The paralysis is severe. The President is urgently considering options,” the source noted.

It was suggested that Edun’s condition may have been triggered by stress and exhaustion, as top government officials often endure demanding schedules, irregular meals, and limited rest. Security sources, including personnel from the Department of State Services (DSS), were also said to have confirmed that the minister is “extremely ill.”

Meanwhile, the Presidency on Sunday confirmed that Edun is “indisposed,” announcing that Central Bank Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, will head Nigeria’s delegation to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) Annual Meetings in Washington, D.C., which begin on Monday, 13 October.

According to presidential aide Bayo Onanuga, Cardoso is stepping in as alternate governor “to represent Nigeria at the meetings in place of Mr Edun, who is indisposed.”

In a related development, President Tinubu departed Abuja on Sunday for Rome, Italy, to attend the Aqaba Process Heads of State and Government Meeting, focusing on tackling security challenges in West Africa.

Edun, appointed in August 2023, has been one of Tinubu’s closest economic allies since their years in Lagos. His sudden illness has raised concerns about continuity in Nigeria’s ongoing fiscal reforms and the preparation of the 2025 national budget.

However, in a more recent clarification, Presidency sources have confirmed that Mr Edun is recuperating at his Abuja residence, not abroad, and that there are no plans by President Tinubu to replace him.

“Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, is recuperating in his Abuja home after falling ill, and there are no plans by President Bola Tinubu to replace him,” multiple sources in the Presidency confirmed on Sunday.