Governor of Central Bank Soludo joined the federal government in 2003 and served as chief economic adviser to President
Olusegun Obasanjo. Prior to his May 2004 appointment to the CBN's chairmanship, he was the Chief Executive of the
National Planning Commission of Nigeria. In January 2008, in a speech to the Nigerian Economic Society, he predicted consolidation in the private banking industry, saying "By the end of 2008, there will be fewer banks than there are today. The restructuring of the banking industry has been attracting funds from local and foreign investors, which have increased banks' ability to lend to customers". Soludo hopes to see Nigeria become Africa's financial hub, and considers
microfinance important to the federal government's economic policies.
Appointment to Economic Advisory Council On 16 September 2019, the President of Nigeria,
Muhammadu Buhari, appointed Soludo as a member of a newly formed 8-member Economic Advisory Council (EAC) which would report directly to the
President on issues related to national economic policies.
Governor of Anambra State (2022–present) First term In September 2009, Soludo announced his aspiration for the seat of the Governor of
Anambra State, in the southeastern Nigerian state's election of 9 February 2010. On 9 October 2009, the
People's Democratic Party (PDP) chose Soludo as their consensus candidate for the position from a field of 47 candidates, after repeated attempts to hold elective primaries were stalled by court injunctions. However, his nomination was contested by 23 of the 47 aspirants, citing lack of transparency in the process. Soludo went on to lose to Peter Obi in an election that was largely considered free and fair according to major election observers. However, with his perceived solid performance as CBN governor, Soludo remains a respected economic policy authority in Nigeria. Political commentators, while urging an issue-based campaign in the 2011 election, had called on aspirants to work with respected economists like Soludo towards an acceptable economic plan. On 17 July 2013, Soludo resigned from the PDP after writing a letter to the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji
Bamanga Tukur. He later joined the
All Progressives Grand Alliance in preparation for the November 2013 governorship race in Anambra state. In mid-August 2013, he, along with five other qualified aspirants, were disqualified by the APGA Screening Committee. In February 2021, Soludo officially declared his intention to run for the position of Governor of Anambra State under the banner of APGA. A month later, unidentified gunmen disrupted an interactive session between Isuofia youths and Soludo at the town's civic centre, leading to the death of three police officers. On 9 November 2021, the
Independent National Electoral Commission announced Soludo as the winner of the
2021 Anambra State gubernatorial election and governor-elect of Anambra State. He was issued a certificate of return on 13 November 2021. On 17 March 2022, Soludo was sworn in as the fifth Governor of Anambra State. During the inaugural event, a fight broke out between the wife of former Governor of Anambra State
Willie Obiano, Ebele Obiano, and the wife of
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu,
Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
Second term In November 2025, Soludo stood for re-election as governor of Anambra. He won by a majority of more than 300,000 votes. It was the second time for a candidate to win all 21 local government areas of the state, after
Willie Obiano in 2017. He reshuffled his administration after beginning his second term in office, appointing new senior officials, including
Chinwe Okoli as Special Adviser on Innovation and Business Incubation. In December, he launched the "Onwa Dezemba" feast, aimed to project
Igbo culture and communal bonding in the state. ==Distinctions==