President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally commenced the process of appointing substantive heads for Nigeria’s foreign missions, submitting an initial list of three ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for screening and confirmation today.
The President’s request was conveyed in a letter read during Wednesday’s plenary session by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, nearly two years after all Nigerian ambassadors were recalled by the Tinubu administration in September 2023.
Reading the letter, Senate President Akpabio stated, “The list contains three names for now, I am sure others will follow,” confirming that a complete list of envoys for the nation’s 109 diplomatic missions is expected in due course.
The absence of confirmed ambassadors in key countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and France had recently drawn criticism from former diplomats and commentators who argued that the lack of senior representation hampered Nigeria’s ability to engage robustly in global politics and trade, particularly concerning recent security and political disputes.
The Senate President has since referred the list to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, directing the committee to expedite the review process and report back to the full chamber within one week. If confirmed, the nominees are expected to immediately assume their postings, providing crucial diplomatic leadership at a strategic time for Nigeria’s foreign policy.
