Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, the newly appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, affirmed her commitment to the foreign policy goals of President Bola Tinubu’s administration on Monday.

Ojukwu, the widow of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, was sworn in alongside six other new ministers by President Tinubu at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Speaking to State House correspondents after the ceremony, Ojukwu emphasized the importance of leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area to tap into Nigeria’s economic potential.

When asked about her contributions given her previous experience in foreign missions, she promised to work towards strengthening democratic institutions throughout Africa. “I am fully committed to aligning with the foreign policy priorities of this government,” she stated.

Ojukwu pointed out the administration’s focus on the “4Ds”—democracy, development, demographic engagement, and diaspora collaboration. She also highlighted Nigeria’s youthful population, noting that 70 percent of the population is under the age of 43. “We plan to harness the creative skills and potential of our young people, along with the diaspora, to drive progress in the country,” she added.