President Bola Tinubu has taken a major step to fill Nigeria's vacant diplomatic posts. He sent his first list of ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation. The list contains three names for non-career ambassador positions .
The nominees are Kayode Are from Ogun State, Aminu Dalhatu from Jigawa State, and Ayodele Oke from Oyo State . Senate President Godswill Akpabio read the President's letter during a Wednesday plenary session. He referred the list to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs. The committee was told to review the nominations and report back within one week .
This move ends a long period without confirmed ambassadors in many Nigerian missions abroad. In September 2023, the government recalled all 83 ambassadors serving under the previous administration . This recall was part of what officials called a comprehensive review of Nigeria's foreign operations . Since then, most Nigerian embassies and high commissions have been led by chargés d'affaires. These are senior officers who temporarily lead a mission in the absence of an ambassador .
The absence of full ambassadors has been a point of concern for foreign policy experts. A former Nigerian External Affairs Minister, Bolaji Akinyemi, recently explained why the situation mattered. He said that even with modern technology, diplomacy still heavily relies on personal contact between ambassadors and foreign governments . He had urged the government to fill the vacant posts .
The need for strong diplomatic representation became more urgent recently. This follows comments from former United States President Donald Trump. He had threatened military intervention in Nigeria over alleged killings of Christians . Some observers believe the lack of influential ambassadors in key Western capitals hampered Nigeria's ability to manage these international narratives .
The Nigerian government has already taken direct action to address the diplomatic tension with the United States. A high-level delegation led by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, traveled to Washington . The team included top security officials like the Inspector-General of Police and the Chief of Defence Staff . Their mission was to strengthen the security partnership between the US and Nigeria. They also worked to correct narratives built on what Nigeria called biased or misleading information .
The delegation's talks were reportedly successful. They led to a deeper security cooperation and a pledge from the US for additional support. This support includes equipment and intelligence sharing . A Joint US-Nigeria Working Group was also established to coordinate future cooperation .
The appointment of the three ambassadors-designate is seen as a welcome, though delayed, development . It is a key part of building stronger government-to-government relationships. While the Ribadu delegation handled the immediate crisis, having confirmed ambassadors in place is considered vital for long-term diplomatic engagement . A senior Foreign Service source highlighted this need. They said that most foreign governments do not give the same regard to chargés d'affaires as they do to ambassadors .
The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs has previously defended the pace of appointments. In a June statement, it said that appointing ambassadors is a sovereign function that should not be rushed for political convenience . The ministry insisted that Nigerian missions remained fully operational under experienced chargés d'affaires . It also said President Tinubu was committed to reforming the foreign service. The goal is to ensure future postings are driven by merit, competence, and national interest, not patronage .
According to sources, the President had been working on the ambassadorial list for some time. One senior official said the President ordered a final cleanup of the list before its release . The official noted that the original list sent to the Senate needed updating. This was because some nominees had died, some had retired, and others were no longer eligible for appointment . Security and background clearances were completed months ago, but the revision became necessary to reflect those still available and eligible .
The three nominees will now go through a confirmation process in the Senate. If confirmed, they will be assigned to specific countries. Their postings will be closely watched. They are expected to play a critical role in advancing Nigeria's interests and mending diplomatic fences on the global stage.