The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, has traveled to the United Kingdom to seek medical attention, a development confirmed by multiple sources on Tuesday morning.

The report, initially published by Western Post, was corroborated by a source who had previously informed The PUNCH that the minister might seek medical attention abroad if his condition warranted it.

On Tuesday, the source confirmed the decision had been made, simply stating: “It’s true, he has left already.” Edun departed from Abuja for Lagos on Monday night via a commercial flight, and later that same night, he left for London aboard a British Airways flight.

Until his departure, Presidency officials who had spoken to a correspondent on Sunday had consistently maintained that Edun was recuperating at his Abuja residence under the care of Nigerian doctors.

These sources acknowledged that the minister had taken ill in recent days but forcefully dismissed earlier rumors suggesting that he had suffered a stroke or was incapacitated.

One senior government official, speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization, told The PUNCH that the minister’s condition was being closely monitored, having stated on Sunday evening: “Yes, he’s indisposed. He’s sick, which is a bit serious, but it’s not a stroke. As I’m talking to you, he’s in his house. He’s not been flown anywhere.”

The official, however, conceded that doctors might recommend foreign medical care if necessary, a recommendation that has now clearly been implemented.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had also confirmed the minister’s illness but initially insisted he was receiving treatment locally, saying on Sunday: “Yes, he’s indisposed. Wale Edun is about 69 years old. He suddenly fell ill. As we are talking, he is in Nigeria. He is recuperating. He’s around.”

Another aide confirmed that Edun’s medical situation had prompted closer attention from the President but firmly stressed that “there are no plans to replace him,” thereby debunking earlier speculation that President Bola Tinubu was considering a replacement for the finance minister.

However, the Presidency did confirm that the minister would miss this year’s World Bank and International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings in Washington, D.C.

A statement by Onanuga confirmed that the Central Bank Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, would instead lead Nigeria’s delegation to the global finance meetings, which were scheduled to begin on Tuesday, October 14.

Appointed on August 28, 2023, Edun has served as a pivotal figure in the Tinubu administration’s economic reform drive, overseeing critical policies such as the removal of petrol subsidies, the unification of foreign exchange rates, and various fiscal measures aimed at stabilizing the naira and curbing inflation.

Prior to his current role, he served as the Lagos State Commissioner for Finance under Tinubu’s administration between 1999 and 2004 and later co-founded the investment banking firm Denham Management Limited. At the time of this report, the Ministry of Finance had not yet issued an official statement regarding the minister’s travel or current whereabouts.