The Senate has confirmed Muttaqha Rabe Darma as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in a swift approval process that unfolded alongside a new round of high-level nominations transmitted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the National Assembly.

Darma’s confirmation followed a brief screening session during which senators examined his qualifications before endorsing his appointment at the Committee of the Whole. The exercise was concluded without delay, reflecting the Senate’s accelerated handling of executive requests in recent sessions.

The approval comes amid a broader package of presidential communications submitted earlier in the week, signalling a fresh round of strategic adjustments across key federal institutions.

The nominations, formally presented to lawmakers and read on the floor by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, include proposed leadership changes and reappointments spanning the executive, financial, and regulatory sectors.

Among them is the nomination of Lamido Abubakar Yuguda as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), a move widely viewed as part of ongoing efforts to reinforce monetary policy oversight and strengthen financial sector governance. The request has been referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, with a one-week deadline to report.

In another submission, President Tinubu also sought the reappointment of Barrister Benedict Umeno to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), representing the South-East for a second term. That nomination has been forwarded to the Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption for expedited consideration.

The Senate leadership has directed all relevant committees to fast-track screening processes and return recommendations promptly, underscoring what lawmakers describe as the urgency of ongoing institutional reforms and governance restructuring.

With Darma’s confirmation now concluded, attention shifts to the remaining nominees as the Senate moves into a busy period of screenings expected to shape the next phase of the administration’s economic, regulatory, and public-sector reforms.