4th November 2025 By Anamati Inyang
President Bola Tinubu is set to finalise the long-awaited appointment of ambassadors to Nigeria’s foreign missions after months of diplomatic gaps and mounting pressure over the absence of envoys in key countries.
According to information obtained by The PUNCH, the President has ordered a “final cleanup” of the ambassadorial nominees’ list to reflect current realities before its official release.
Presidency sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that the review became necessary due to changes in the earlier list.
“It is going to be concluded very soon,” one senior official confirmed. “They are updating the list because some nominees have either passed away, retired, or are no longer eligible for appointment. A few have less than one year left in service.”
The source added that the Senate had already screened the initial nominees, explaining that the ongoing review was to ensure that only qualified individuals remain on the list.
Another Presidency insider disclosed that all security and background checks were completed months ago but that the government needed to adjust the list following deaths, retirements, and withdrawals by some nominees.
“The earlier list sent to the Senate is outdated,” the source said. “The cleanup will ensure that only available and eligible candidates are retained. Once that’s done, the process can be concluded in a week.”
The move comes more than two years after President Tinubu recalled all Nigerian ambassadors from the nation’s 109 foreign missions — 76 embassies, 22 high commissions, and 11 consulates — as part of a comprehensive diplomatic review in September 2023.
Since then, most missions have been overseen by chargés d’affaires and senior consular officers with limited authority, a situation experts say has weakened Nigeria’s diplomatic presence abroad.
A senior Foreign Service officer noted, “Foreign governments often give greater regard to ambassadors than chargés d’affaires. At a time like this, when diplomatic relations are under pressure, having substantive ambassadors is critical.”
The renewed urgency comes amid rising diplomatic tension following comments by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently accused the Nigerian government of allowing the killing of Christians and threatened potential U.S. military intervention.
Trump, in a series of posts on his social media platform, labelled Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” and claimed to have instructed U.S. congressional Republicans to investigate the matter.
He further claimed to have directed the U.S. Department of War to “prepare for possible action” in Nigeria, warning that Washington could halt aid and “go in guns blazing” to confront alleged terrorist activities.
Reacting to the development, a Presidency source said the absence of ambassadors did not directly cause the diplomatic strain but admitted that it might have complicated communication channels.
“That’s not to say the lack of ambassadors caused the recent issues with the U.S., but their presence could have helped with smoother diplomatic engagement,” the source said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, is expected to meet with President Tinubu at the State House today (Tuesday), with indications that the meeting may focus on finalising the ambassadorial appointments.
“When the President is ready to make the announcement, it will be made public,” another Presidency official stated. “The official statement will be released soon.”
In April 2025, The PUNCH reported that the Federal Government had concluded vetting and security clearances for the ambassadorial nominees. However, the appointments stalled due to funding constraints.
Officials disclosed that over $1 billion was needed to settle outstanding allowances for foreign service officers, refurbish embassies, replace aging diplomatic vehicles, and fund other operational needs.
President Tinubu had earlier acknowledged the difficulty of balancing political and professional interests in the selection process.
“It’s not easy stitching those names,” he told members of The Buhari Organisation during a visit to the State House on September 2, 2025. “I couldn’t appoint everyone at once. I still have some slots for ambassadorial positions that many people are asking for.”
