Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Algeria, Mohammed Mahmud Lele, has died at the age of 50 after a prolonged illness.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed his passing in a statement issued in Abuja by its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa. According to the ministry, Lele died in the early hours of April 19, 2026, in Ankara, Türkiye.
Before his death, he served as Director of the Middle East and Gulf Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and had recently been appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as ambassador-designate to Algeria, following his confirmation by the Senate.
Born in Gamawa, Bauchi State, in 1976, Lele studied Economics at Bayero University, Kano, and went on to serve Nigeria in several diplomatic missions, including postings in Berlin, Lomé, and Riyadh.
The ministry described him as a committed and hardworking career diplomat who contributed significantly to Nigeria’s foreign policy efforts. It said his death is a painful loss to the foreign service and the country at large.
His remains were received at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dunoma Umar Ahmed, before being laid to rest in Kano according to Islamic rites.
The Federal Government extended condolences to his family, colleagues, and the people of Bauchi State, praying for the repose of his soul.
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