President Bola Tinubu is expected to announce new ambassadorial appointments to Nigeria’s foreign missions in major countries in the coming weeks, according to multiple presidency sources.
The development comes amid growing concern that the prolonged absence of substantive envoys has weakened Nigeria’s diplomatic footprint, especially in strategic nations such as the United States, following recent controversies including the alleged Christian genocide debate.
In September 2023, Tinubu recalled all envoys from Nigeria’s 76 embassies, 22 high commissions, and 11 consulates to facilitate a comprehensive review of the country’s foreign policy direction. More than two years into the administration, the process of appointing replacements has suffered repeated delays.
In the meantime, missions worldwide have been managed by chargés d’affaires and senior consular officers.
By April 2025, persons nominated for ambassadorial postings had undergone full vetting, including background and security checks by relevant government agencies.
Tinubu had repeatedly cited the complexity of political balancing in such appointments. “I couldn’t appoint everybody at once, and thank you for your patience. I still have some slots for ambassadorial positions… but it’s not easy stitching those names,” he said in September while receiving members of The Buhari Organisation.
Last week, senior presidency officials revealed that the President ordered a “final cleanup” of the list. One official stated that some nominees had died or become ineligible due to retirement, prompting the Senate to return the list for review.
Top aides familiar with the process confirmed that the cleanup is now at an advanced stage and that only envoys for major countries will be announced in the first batch.
“The final process is almost completed. The announcement will come in the next few weeks. Only ambassadors to major countries will be appointed in this phase,” a senior official said.
Another presidency source added that the list is expected before the end of November but declined to give a specific date.
Part of the delay has been linked to financial shortfalls, with about $1bn reportedly needed to offset arrears owed foreign service officials, clear overhead backlogs, replace ageing vehicles, and renovate embassy buildings.
Earlier this year, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, confirmed that the ministry faced significant funding constraints and warned that sending envoys abroad without adequate resources would be counterproductive.
To address part of the financial burden, the Federal Government allocated N2.1bn in the 2025 budget for ambassadorial posting and return entitlements. An additional N53bn was proposed for renovating 103 foreign missions, including chancery buildings, staff quarters, ambassadors’ residences, office furnishings, and official vehicles.
Proposed renovation allocations included N554m for Abidjan, N812m for Banjul, N555m for Brazzaville, N558m for Port of Spain, N576m for Caracas, N624m for Kingston, N567m for Libreville, N409m for Buenos Aires, and N899m for Niamey, among others.
A July 3, 2025 letter from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation confirmed that the Tinubu administration released $54m to support operations in 103 embassies and high commissions. Of this, $46.14m went to overhead costs, $9.58m to personnel expenses, and $282,829 to other operational needs.
With 2025 nearing its end and no substantive ambassadors appointed, public attention has shifted to how budgeted allocations are being utilised by missions without confirmed envoys.
In October, the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs summoned Minister Tuggar and Heads of Missions to explain how appropriated funds for 2025 were spent.
The committee, in a letter signed by its Chairman, Oluwole Oke, invoked Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution to demand full financial records from all missions.
The committee is also probing an alleged contract scandal involving the mismanagement of $2m earmarked for renovating Nigeria’s Permanent Representative’s residence at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
Leave a Comment