President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to appoint new ambassadors to United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK), and other countries after almost two years of operating without diplomats.
The government has begun screening potential candidates to head its more than 100 diplomatic missions around the world, according to a Reuters report citing sources close to the matter.
President Bola Tinubu recalled all ambassadors in September 2023, shortly after taking office. Now, appointments are expected “very soon,” one government source told Reuters.
The president has since appointed consuls-general and chargés d’affaires, but there has been no mention of when the successors of the recalled ambassadors will assume office.
“The issue is being resolved,” the source said, indicating that the long diplomatic vacuum may be coming to an end.
Nigeria’s security services are currently conducting background checks on potential appointees and have started sharing their findings with relevant agencies in the presidency and legislature, according to an intelligence official who spoke with Reuters.
The foreign affairs ministry has previously blamed financial constraints for the delay in naming new diplomats.
This was despite the president receiving multiple letters of credence from other foreign ambassadors posted to Nigeria.
Foreign officials and other stakeholders had expressed concern at the void in diplomatic leadership at various foreign missions.
Yusuf Tuggar, minister of foreign affairs, blamed the delay in appointing ambassadors on a lack of funds.
