Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo will dissolve his first-term government today and prepare to name a new team after he returns to power next week, a senior official said.

Obasanjo's 49-strong cabinet, the Federal Executive Council, will step down first, followed tomorrow by the president's politically appointed special advisers and assistants, he said.

While a new government is put together, the permanent secretaries of each ministry will take over the day-to-day running of their departments, said the top official, who asked not to be named.

Obasanjo was returned to power in a presidential election on April 19 and is due to be sworn in for his second four-year term as a civilian leader tomorrow.

Press reports have suggested he will radically cut down the number of ministers and political appointees in his new administration in order to slash the government's massive running costs.

He is also reportedly planning to bring technocrats and foreign-based Nigerian experts into government to help him overcome Nigeria's deep economic woes.

But the first task of his new regime will be to unite Africa's most populous country behind him after the opposition refused to accept his re-election, which poll monitors said was marred by ballot rigging. – Sapa.