NIGERIA’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, has returned to the country after spending several weeks abroad for medical treatment and rest, bringing an end to weeks of speculation about his health status.
News Point Nigeria reports that a viral video circulating on social media at the weekend showed the 69-year-old minister at a hotel in Abuja, where he reportedly held a closed-door meeting with a visiting Qatari delegation on Sunday.
The development confirmed his return to Nigeria after his recent stay in the United Kingdom.
Mr. Edun had earlier been reported to have taken ill and was initially treated in Nigeria before travelling overseas for further medical attention.
Presidential spokesman, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, had last week confirmed that the minister was “indisposed” but assured the public that there was no cause for alarm.
In Edun’s absence, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, led the Nigerian delegation to the 2025 Annual Meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) held in Washington, D.C., United States.
While abroad, Edun was first sighted at the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London, held at Somerset House, where he visited the O’DA Art Gallery booth.
A viral video from the event showed him relaxed and interacting with guests, sparking mixed reactions online amid rumours about his health.
The clip was shared by Sunday Dare, Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication to President Bola Tinubu, with the caption: “Minister Wale Edun. Today. Art Gallery.”
Onanuga also reposted the video on X (formerly Twitter), clarifying that the minister was in the United Kingdom “on an officially sanctioned few days of rest from the rigours of managing the Nigerian economy.”
News Point Nigeria had earlier exclusively reported that the finance minister travelled to London for medical care.
Fresh information obtained by this newspaper revealed that Edun underwent a comprehensive 10-hour series of medical tests and evaluations at a private hospital in London.
A source close to the family disclosed that the minister was accompanied by some of his close relatives and appeared to be in “good spirits” as he left the hospital later that evening.
“He was in the hospital for checkups and tests for almost 10 hours before leaving with some close family members,” the source said.
After leaving the hospital, Edun visited the O’DA Art Gallery’s booth at the London fair, where he met with the gallery’s founder and creative director, Obida Obioha.
In a statement posted on Instagram, Obioha described the minister’s visit as “an honour,” adding that Edun took keen interest in Nigeria’s fast-growing creative economy.
“It was a pleasure to welcome the Honourable Minister of Finance, Wale Edun (@finminnigeria), to the O’DA Art Gallery booth at 1-54 London (@154artfair) on October 15, 2025, at Somerset House,” Obioha wrote.
“We had the privilege of walking him through our presentation, Lines of Spirit, featuring Simon Ojeaga, Paul Majek, and Afeez Onakoya, three artists whose works explore the intersections of form, rhythm, and transcendence within contemporary African abstraction.”
According to Obioha, the exhibition underscores O’DA’s commitment to promoting African artists whose works engage deeply with identity, memory, and community themes that resonate with the continent’s cultural revival.
Edun’s return to Abuja is expected to calm public anxiety over his health, which had generated significant debate within government and business circles.
A source within the Ministry of Finance confirmed to News Point Nigeria that the minister will resume official duties fully this week, beginning with a scheduled policy review meeting on fiscal reforms and economic stabilization measures.