Former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has described her 2018 resignation from the cabinet of late President Muhammadu Buhari as the best decision she ever made, insisting it was a matter of principle rather than an admission of guilt.
Speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Channels Television on Friday, Adeosun explained that she stepped down to protect the integrity of the office and avoid distractions while contesting the controversy over her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate in court.
“My resignation is a matter of principle and not an admission of wrongdoing. It was a step to protect the Office of the Minister of Finance and defend my reputation,” she said.
She recalled informing Buhari of her decision, noting that the president supported her move. “These names are leased from our children and our grandchildren. You don’t destroy your name because you want to stay as minister,” she added.
In July 2021, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that Adeosun was never legally required to participate in the NYSC scheme, as she was not a Nigerian citizen at the time of graduation or when she turned 30, the cut-off age for compulsory service. Justice Taiwo Taiwo held that her appointment as minister was neither illegal nor unconstitutional.
Adeosun also weighed in on economic policy, particularly fuel subsidy and taxation. She described subsidy payments as unsustainable, saying they drained resources from critical sectors.
“Money spent on subsidy is money you can’t spend on roads, education or health,” she said, stressing the need for structural solutions rather than short-term palliatives.
On taxation, she defended the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme introduced under her tenure and welcomed current efforts to harmonise identity data across agencies.
Adeosun recounted being robbed at knifepoint during her time in office, an incident that forced her to abandon her residence. Despite such challenges, she expressed optimism about the government’s commitment to tackling insecurity.
Now outside government, Adeosun has focused on DashMe Stores, a charity initiative she launched in 2021. She disclosed that the non-profit has raised over ₦500 million to support orphanages and vulnerable communities, building and renovating facilities across Nigeria.
“Children’s lives are unstable enough without landlords issuing quit notices. They deserve to be in their own homes,” she said.
Adeosun argued that poverty should be measured globally, stressing that the real challenge is generational poverty and lack of social mobility. She maintained that education and enterprise remain the most effective pathways out of poverty.
Concluding, she urged Nigerians to take ownership of development rather than relying solely on government intervention.
