President Bola Tinubu is set to complete the appointment of new ambassadors to Nigeria’s foreign missions after months of delays and growing concern over the absence of envoys abroad, The PUNCH has learned.
Presidency sources said Tinubu ordered a final review of the list of nominees before it is released. “They are just cleaning it up now,” one senior official explained, noting that some nominees have died, retired, or are no longer eligible. The Senate had already screened the initial list, which has now been returned to the President for final approval.
According to officials, security and background checks were completed months ago, but the process was delayed after several nominees took new appointments or withdrew due to health reasons. “The earlier list sent to the Senate is outdated,” another source said. “The cleanup will ensure that only eligible candidates remain.”
The move comes more than two years after Tinubu recalled all ambassadors from Nigeria’s 109 foreign missions in September 2023 as part of a diplomatic overhaul. Since then, most missions have been run by chargés d’affaires or senior consular officers with limited authority to engage foreign governments.
A senior foreign service source said the absence of ambassadors has weakened Nigeria’s diplomatic influence. “Most foreign governments don’t give the same regard to chargés d’affaires as they do to ambassadors,” the source noted.
The renewed push to fill ambassadorial positions follows rising diplomatic tension after former U.S. President Donald Trump threatened military action against Nigeria over alleged killings of Christians. Trump, in a series of online posts, described Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” and said he had asked congressional Republicans to investigate the issue.
A Presidency official dismissed claims that the absence of ambassadors caused the diplomatic friction but admitted it may have complicated communication. “Their presence could have made engagement with Washington smoother,” the official said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar is expected to meet President Tinubu at the State House to discuss the final list. Officials said an announcement could be made soon after the meeting.
Tinubu has previously acknowledged the challenges in balancing political and professional interests in the appointments, saying, “It’s not easy stitching those names.”
