Ministry of Trade and Industry to be renamed Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry METI
Ang Qing
The Straits Times
July 22, 2026
The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) will be renamed the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry (METI) from Oct 1, to reflect the significance of energy to the economy. It will be led by two ministers.
Announcing the change on July 22, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said: “Energy is becoming increasingly central to Singapore’s economic competitiveness, industrial transformation, and long-term resilience.”
Energy will be a national challenge for the nation, akin to water, as the Republic continues to power its needs while achieving its net-zero target, he said, responding to questions from the media during a press conference to announce the cabinet reshuffle.
The changes take effect from July 27.
“Not energy per se, because we can have energy through fossil fuel, but clean energy is going to be a major challenge for us,” he said.
PM Wong noted that the scope of MTI’s work has expanded greatly, citing the ongoing feasibility study for nuclear energy and Singapore’s plan to undergo a review by the UN’s atomic watchdog in 2027 to evaluate its readiness for nuclear energy deployment.
He said METI’s name reflects the key role that energy plays, and it is appropriate for a minister rather than a second minister to lead the portfolio within the ministry.
PM Wong added that two ministers are necessary, as the one focusing on trade has to deal with negotiations amid today’s geopolitical changes.
In view of these priorities, Tan See Leng will relinquish his responsibilities as Manpower Minister to devote his full attention to overseeing energy and industry, as Minister of Trade and Industry (Energy and Industry).
PM Wong noted that Tan had already been closely involved in these areas as MTI’s Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology.
Tan joins Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong, who will continue to oversee trade and Singapore’s broader economic strategy as Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade).
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu remains as the Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations at the ministry.
They will be joined by former civil servant and Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Foo Cexiang, who will be appointed Minister of State at MTI from Sept 1.
Rounding up the ministry’s political office holders are Low Yen Ling, who will remain Senior Minister of State, and Minister of State Gan Siow Huang.
This was among a slew of adjustments to the cabinet announced by PM Wong at the National Press Centre.
The Energy and Science & Technology portfolio was created in May 2025, when the Prime Minister announced his new Cabinet line-up following GE2025.
At the time, Wong said that the energy - particularly clean energy - forms a key part of the Government’s agenda, and that Tan’s new role would aid the Government in considering how to better organise itself to accelerate its transition to clean energy.
Tan had already been overseeing energy issues when he was Second Minister at MTI, with the Energy Market Authority coming under the ministry.
PM Wong had also asked Gan then to oversee the National Climate Change Secretariat.
In a statement on July 22, MTI said that energy is an existential resource for Singapore, just like water.
“Singaporeans know our Water Story well, and how Singapore turned scarcity into strength.
“We must now undertake a similar transformation for energy in the coming decades,” said the ministry.
It pointed out that MTI had taken significant steps in recent years.
This ranges from ramping up efforts to deploy solar energy across all viable surfaces, including rooftops and reservoirs; to studying seriously the viability of various low-carbon energy technologies, especially nuclear energy.
There are three critical challenges to be addressed, it said.
For one, economic growth is dependent on continued access to stable and competitively priced energy.
There is a need to balance this with the transition to a low carbon economy in alignment with Singapore’s 2050 net-zero ambitions. This is a challenging task, given that Singapore is disadvantaged when it comes to alternative energy.
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East and disruptions to global energy supplies is also a reminder that energy security cannot be taken for granted.
“METI will work with all Singaporeans and businesses to build a secure, affordable, and sustainable energy system that will power our next phase of growth and development,” it said.
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