Sources have indicated that President Bola Tinubu will soon release the list of ambassadors to be appointed to the country’s foreign missions in significant countries.
Naijaonpoint reports that the president, in September 2023, had recalled all envoys from Nigeria’s missions in 76 embassies, 22 high commissions, and 11 consulates across the world to reassess the country’s foreign policy.
The development has raised concerns that the absence of ambassadors has weakened the country’s diplomatic presence abroad, particularly in key strategic countries like the United States, amid the alleged Christian genocide row.
In the absence of substantive envoys, the missions have since been overseen by chargés d’affaires or senior consular officers.
Speaking to Punch, top presidential sources have disclosed that the President had ordered a “final cleanup” of the list ahead of its release.
One of the officials explained that since the President sent the list to the Senate, some individuals on the list had passed away, while others were no longer eligible for appointment due to retirement.
The official said the need for cleanup prompted the Upper Chamber to return the envoy list to the presidency.
“The final process is almost completed. The President is committed to making the appointments, and the announcement will come in the next few weeks. I wouldn’t want to specify two. However, only ambassadors to major countries will be appointed,” a source said.
Another senior presidency source said the list would be released before the end of November.
However, he declined to specify the release date.
“The President has said they should clean up the list. I’m sure before the end of the month, it should be ready. There’s no point speculating. When it is ready, it will be officially announced,” the official said.
The publication, as mentioned earlier, gathered that part of the delay in the appointments was linked to the paucity of funds, estimated at $1 billion, needed to pay foreign service officials’ arrears, clear the backlog of overheads, replace ageing vehicles, and renovate embassy buildings.
© 2025 Naijaonpoint, a division of NOP Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]