Betta Chimaobim Edu (born October 27, 1986) is a Nigerian politician who has been recently suspended as the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
She served as national women leader of All Progressive Congress. She was Cross River State Commissioner for Health until her resignation in 2022.She was also National Chairman of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum.
Betta hails from Abi Local government area in Cross River State. She completed her secondary education in 2001 at the Federal Government Girls College, Calabar and obtained her first degree in medicine and surgery from the University of Calabar in 2009.
She has a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Health for Developing Countries from London School Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, a master’s degree in Public Health in Developing Countries from London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and Doctor of Public Health from Texila American University.
In 2015, Edu became the youngest person to be appointed Special Adviser to the Executive Governor of Cross River State Benedict Ayade on Community and Primary Healthcare.
In 2020, she became chairman of the Cross River State COVID-19 Taskforce. In August that year, she was appointed National Chairman of the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum.
Edu is a Fellow of the Royal School of Public Health in and the African Institute of Public Health Professionals.
Betta Edu became the youngest national woman leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in March 2022.
Betta as APC National women leader during the 2023 Nigerian general elections campaign assured women of 35 percent affirmative action from President Bola Tinubu.
In July 2023, the state Women Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across all 36 states in Nigeria including that of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) passed a vote of confidence on Betta Edu. They did this during their visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Also in July 2023, the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Maryam Babangida National Center For Women Development Headed by DG Asabe Vilita Bashir, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development awarded Betta Edu the Award of Excellence in Leadership for gender inclusion and women empowerment. This is in recognition of her commitment to championing the cause of empowering women, children, and other vulnerable groups in Nigeria.
In July 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu nominated Betta Edu for minister as the Nigerian senate unveiled the 28 nominees for ministerial appointment. Making her the first female minister from Cross River State and the youngest minister at the Federal Executive Council of Nigeria in the Fourth Nigerian republic.
In August 2023, Betta was sworn in as minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation and the All progressives congress replaced her as National women leader.
In 2020, Edu was accused of posting fake photos of ventilators.The Cross River state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association passed a vote of no confidence on Edu over accusations of professional misconduct in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Edu claims the vote of no confidence was political. In 2022, during her campaign to become National Women Leader of the APC, Edu was accused of procedural misconduct.
On 8 January 2024, she was suspended from her position as the minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for an alleged ₦585 million scandal in the ministry.
