President Bola Tinubu is reportedly finalizing the long-awaited list of ambassadors for Nigeria’s foreign missions, following months of diplomatic gaps and rising concerns over the country’s lack of official representation abroad.
According to sources within the Presidency who spoke to The Punch on condition of anonymity, the President has ordered a “final cleanup” of the ambassadorial list before it is officially released.
“It is going to be concluded very soon,” a senior government official confirmed, explaining that some names on the earlier list had become invalid due to deaths, retirements, or other disqualifying factors. “They are just cleaning it up now because since the list was first sent to the Senate, a few of the nominees have died, retired, or are no longer eligible for service.”
The source added that the Senate had already completed the screening process and returned the list to the Presidency months ago, while another official disclosed that background and security checks were finalized earlier this year. However, the list required updating after several nominees either passed away, accepted new roles, or withdrew for health reasons.
“The earlier list sent to the Senate is outdated. Some of the nominees have died, while others are no longer qualified. The cleanup will ensure that only those still available and eligible remain,” another Presidency insider stated. “The process can be completed within a week; it doesn’t take long to verify new names.”
This development follows Tinubu’s September 2023 decision to recall all Nigerian ambassadors from 109 foreign missions—including 76 embassies, 22 high commissions, and 11 consulates—as part of a comprehensive review of the nation’s diplomatic strategy. Since then, most missions have been managed by chargés d’affaires or senior consular officers, who have limited authority in diplomatic negotiations.
A senior Foreign Service official noted that the absence of appointed ambassadors has weakened Nigeria’s diplomatic influence. “Most foreign governments do not accord the same level of recognition to chargés d’affaires as they do to ambassadors. At a time like this, with multiple diplomatic challenges, it’s critical that Nigeria has full ambassadors in place,” the source said.
The renewed push for ambassadorial appointments comes amid rising diplomatic tension following comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently labeled Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged persecution of Christians. Trump later claimed to have directed the U.S. Department of War to “prepare for possible action” in Nigeria if the government fails to address the killings.
Presidency officials, however, dismissed claims that the lack of ambassadors directly caused the tension, though they admitted it complicated diplomatic communication. “The absence of ambassadors didn’t cause the U.S. issue, but their presence could have made dialogue easier,” one official said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar is expected to meet with President Tinubu at the State House in Abuja today (Tuesday), with sources suggesting that finalizing the ambassadorial list will be on the agenda.
“When the President is ready to make the announcement, the list will be made public. The Presidency will issue an official statement very soon,” another insider confirmed.
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