THE Federal Government has acknowledged ongoing financial and administrative setbacks facing Nigeria’s diplomatic and consular missions worldwide, attributing the difficulties to budget shortfalls and recent changes in foreign exchange policy.
In a statement issued yesterday by its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs admitted that the situation has disrupted operations across several missions.
The challenges include delays in paying salaries of locally employed staff, allowances for home-based officers, and outstanding rents owed to landlords and service providers.
“The ministry is not unaware of the restrictions that financial limitations have placed on the smooth running of the missions, including the inability to pay salaries of locally recruited staff, financial obligations to service providers, rent to landlords, and the foreign service allowance to home-based officers,” the statement read.
The ministry explained that these difficulties reflect the wider economic strains within Nigeria, noting that years of underfunding have weakened the capacity of missions to perform their diplomatic roles effectively.
Despite the strain, the ministry assured Nigerians that the welfare of foreign service officers and their families remains a priority for President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
It disclosed that special intervention funds had been released to ease the pressure, with over 80 percent already disbursed—covering payments to service providers, local staff salaries, and arrears owed to officers.
To ensure accountability, a verification committee has been set up to review missions’ debt profiles and confirm the legitimacy of claims.
The ministry also revealed ongoing collaboration with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to recover budget shortfalls from the 2024 fiscal year, which were worsened by exchange rate volatility triggered by monetary reforms.
According to the ministry, the first tranche of payments has already been released, with some missions confirming receipt.
A second tranche has also been approved, with the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria coordinating to fast-track disbursements this week.
Looking forward, the Federal Government said it is working on a more sustainable financial framework to support its embassies abroad, in line with broader fiscal reforms aimed at improving resource allocation and governance.
“The current challenges are temporary and will be overcome through the concerted efforts of this administration,” the ministry assured, while expressing gratitude to diplomatic staff, host governments, and service providers for their patience.
The Ministry reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to maintaining a strong international presence and protecting the welfare of citizens abroad.