| Cabinet Name: | Cabinet of Shehu Shagari |
| Cabinet Number: | |
| Jurisdiction: | Nigeria |
| Flag: | 160px |
| Date Formed: | 1 October 1979 |
| Date Dissolved: | 31 December 1983 |
| Political Party: | National Party of Nigeria (NPN) |
| Opposition Parties: | --> |
| Opposition Leaders: | --> |
The Cabinet of Shehu Shagari formed the government of Nigeria during the presidency of Shehu Shagari between 1979 and 1983, after the return to civilian rule with the Second Nigerian Republic. Among the cabinet Ministers are Adamu Ciroma, Bello Maitama Yusuf, Mamman Ali Makele etc. It was terminated by a military coup.
Lieutenant General Olusegun Obasanjo became head of the government after an attempted coup in February 1976. He managed the transition to civilian rule in an election won by the National Party of Nigeria led by Shehu Shagari.Shagari took office on 1 October 1979. He then appointed 61 ministers, of whom 24 were of cabinet rank. The ministers were both Muslim and Christian, with the Muslims assuming a larger and growing share of ministries, with most of the more important posts. Shagari made extensive use of the Cabinet Office, an organisation of leading professional civil servants, where it would have been more typical of a presidential system to rely more on political appointees.
Shagari did not have complete control over the immensely powerful ministers in his cabinet. While he worked honestly, he was not powerful enough to discharge the many dishonest men working alongside him.
Shehu Shagari's National Party of Nigeria (NPN) won the 1983 general elections. These were known as the worst elections in Nigeria's history. The political parties resorted to violence, arson, vote rigging and other malpractices in the struggle for victory.After the second election, Shagari removed all but seven of the former members of his cabinet, and appointed various respected technocrats such as Emeka Anyaoku. He also reappointed his relative, Umaru Dikko, who had been accused of corruption.
Soon after Shagari began his second term as president on 31 December 1983, the military staged a coup. It was led by Major Generals Muhammadu Buhari and Tunde Idiagbon. The coup was launched two days after Shagari had announced an austerity program, forced due to a fall in the price of oil, which provided 90% of government revenue. Shagari and many cabinet members were arrested.Buhari said the coup was required to remove the "inept and corrupt administration that left Nigeria a beggar nation."
Cabinet members included:
| Office | Minister | Notes ' | |
|---|---|---|---|
| President | 1979–83 | ||
| Vice-president | 1979–83 | ||
| Agriculture | December 1979 – February 1982 | ||
| February 1982 – October 1983 | |||
| Attorney General and Justice | December 1979 – October 1983 | ||
| Aviation | December 1979 – February 1982 | ||
| February 1982 – October 1983 | |||
| December 1979 – February 1982 | |||
| February 1982 – October 1983 | |||
| Communications | December 1979 – February 1982 | ||
| February 1982 – October 1983 | |||
| Defence | December 1979 – February 1982 | ||
| February 1982 – October 1983 | |||
| Education | December 1979 – February 1982 | ||
| February 1982 – October 1983 | |||
| Employment, Labor and Productivity | December 1979 – February 1982 | ||
| February 1982 – October 1983 | |||
| December 1979 – October 1983 | |||
| 1983 | |||
| Federal Capital Territory | December 1979 – February 1982 | ||
| February 1982 – October 1983 | |||
| Finance & Works | December 1979 – October 1983 | ||
| Health | December 1979 – October 1983 | ||
| Housing (and Environment from 1981) | December 1979 – February 1982 | ||
| February 1982 – October 1983 | |||
| Industries | December 1979 – October 1983 | ||
| Information | February 1982 – October 1983 | ||
| Internal Affairs | December 1979 – 1981 | ||
| (Minister of State) December 1979 – October 1983 | |||
| 1981–1982 | |||
| Ali Baba | (Minister of State)1981 – 1982 | ||
| Ali Baba | 1982 – 1983[1] | ||
| Mines and Power | Mohammed Hassan | December 1979 – October 1983 External Affairs II | October 1983 - 31 December 1983 |
| National Planning | December 1979 – October 1983 | ||
| Police Affairs | December 1979 – February 1982 | ||
| February 1982 – October 1983 | |||
| Public Works & Finance | December 1979 – October 1983 | ||
| Science and Technology | December 1979 – February 1982 | ||
| February 1982 – October 1983 | |||
| Social Welfare, Youth, Sports (to 1982) and Culture | December 1979 – February 1982 | ||
| Sports Development | February 1982 – October 1983 | ||
| Steel Development | Paul Unongo | (MOS) December 1979 – February 1982 | |
| February 1982 – October 1983 | |||
| Transport | December 1979 – October 1983 | ||
| Water Resources | December 1979 – February 1982 | ||
| February 1982 – October 1983 |