President Bola Tinubu has explained why Nigeria’s long-awaited ambassadorial list is yet to be released.
Naijaonpoint reports that the delay comes nearly two years after his government recalled all ambassadors from the country’s 109 foreign missions.
Tinubu spoke on Tuesday during a meeting with members of The Buhari Organisation at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Tinubu said the process of picking nominees has been tough due to political and administrative hurdles.
He admitted that while some ambassadorial slots remain open, the task of finalizing names is proving challenging.
He said: “I couldn’t appoint everybody at once, and I thank you for your patience.
“I still have some slots for ambassadorial positions that many people are craving for. But it’s not easy stitching those names.”
All career and non-career envoys were recalled in September 2023 as part of a diplomatic overhaul, leaving most embassies in the hands of chargés d’affaires or senior consular officers.
Although security clearance for potential nominees was reportedly completed in April 2025, the President has not yet forwarded a consolidated list to the Senate.
One of the reasons for the delay is funding.
The government is struggling with about $1 billion in arrears for foreign service staff, renovation of missions, replacement of official vehicles and other operational expenses.
Once the list reaches the Senate, the Committee on Foreign Affairs will screen the nominees before a full Senate vote.
After confirmation, ambassadors will receive training from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before deployment.
Tinubu assured his visitors that future diplomatic appointments will follow wide consultation and careful consideration, adding that he is working to strike the right balance before forwarding names to the Senate.
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