President Bola Tinubu is set to finalise the appointment of new ambassadors to Nigeria’s foreign missions after a two-year wait.
Presidency officials familiar with the development told The PUNCH that the President had ordered a “final cleanup” of the list of ambassadorial nominees, which is expected to be released soon.
“It’s going to be concluded very soon,” a senior official confirmed, noting that several nominees had either retired, passed away, or withdrawn since the list was first submitted to the Senate for screening.
Another official explained that while security and background checks had been completed months earlier, revisions became necessary to ensure the final list included only those still eligible and available for service.
“The earlier list sent to the Senate is outdated. Some nominees are deceased or no longer qualified. The cleanup will ensure the final list reflects those still fit for posting,” the source said, adding that the process “can be completed within a week.”
The move comes more than two years after Tinubu’s 2023 recall of all Nigerian ambassadors from 109 foreign missions including 76 embassies, 22 high commissions, and 11 consulates as part of a sweeping diplomatic overhaul.
Since then, most embassies have been run by chargés d’affaires with limited authority to negotiate or represent Nigeria at high-level engagements.
“Most foreign governments don’t treat chargés d’affaires with the same regard as ambassadors,” a senior Foreign Service official said. “At a time like this, we urgently need full representation.”
The renewed push for ambassadorial appointments follows recent diplomatic strain after former U.S. President Donald Trump threatened possible military action in Nigeria, citing alleged killings of Christians.
Trump, in a series of posts on his social media platform, described Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern”, warning that the U.S. might “go into that disgraced country, guns-a-blazing,” if the Nigerian government failed to act against extremists.
Presidency insiders dismissed suggestions that the absence of ambassadors caused the diplomatic tension but admitted their presence could have improved communication.
“The issue with the U.S. isn’t because there are no ambassadors, but having them in place would make diplomatic engagement faster and smoother,” one official said.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, is scheduled to meet with Tinubu at the State House on Tuesday, where sources believe the final ambassadorial list may top the agenda.
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Earlier this year, The PUNCH reported that the government had already completed vetting and security clearances, but appointments were delayed due to funding constraints. Over $1 billion is reportedly needed to address arrears, refurbish embassies, and cover operational costs.
Tinubu has previously acknowledged the complexity of balancing political and career interests in such appointments.
“It’s not easy stitching those names,” the President said in September 2025 while addressing The Buhari Organisation, led by former Nasarawa State Governor, Senator Tanko Al-Makura.
“I couldn’t appoint everyone at once. I still have some ambassadorial slots that many people are craving for,” he added.
Officials say the new list could be announced within days, marking a major step toward restoring Nigeria’s diplomatic presence across the globe.
