President Bola Tinubu is set to conclude the appointment of ambassadors to Nigeria’s foreign missions worldwide after months of diplomatic gaps and growing pressure over the country’s absence of envoys abroad.
Multiple Presidency officials familiar with the development confirmed that the President had ordered a “final cleanup” of the list of nominees ahead of its release.
“It is going to be concluded very soon,” a senior official said, noting that adjustments were necessary following recent changes affecting some nominees.
According to the official, “They are just cleaning it up now because since the time the President sent it to the Senate, some people on that list have died, and some have retired and are no longer eligible for appointment. Some of them have less than one year left in service.”
He added that although the Senate had screened the nominees, the review aimed to ensure that no one due for retirement remained on the list. “The list of those screened has left the Senate long ago; it has been returned to the President,” the source disclosed.
Another source confirmed that security and background clearances were completed months ago, but revisions became necessary after several nominees passed away, took new appointments, or opted out due to ill health.
“The earlier list sent to the Senate is outdated. Some of the nominees have died, while others are no longer qualified,” the official said. “The cleanup will ensure that the final list reflects those still available and eligible. The process can be completed in a week; it doesn’t take long to reverify new names.”
The development comes more than two years after Tinubu’s September 2023 decision to recall all ambassadors from Nigeria’s 109 foreign missions — comprising 76 embassies, 22 high commissions, and 11 consulates — as part of a “comprehensive diplomatic review.”
Since then, most missions have been headed by chargés d’affaires or senior consular officers with limited authority to represent Nigeria in formal negotiations.
“The truth is that most foreign governments do not give the same regard to chargés d’affaires as they do to ambassadors,” a senior Foreign Service source said. “At a time like this, with many diplomatic demands, it is crucial that ambassadors be appointed.”
The renewed push to conclude the ambassadorial appointments comes amid recent diplomatic tension following comments by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened military intervention in Nigeria over alleged killings of Christians.
Trump, in a post on his social media platform, announced that he was labeling Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern.” He later claimed to have instructed congressional Republicans to investigate the matter and report back to him, and subsequently said he had ordered the U.S. Department of War to “prepare for possible action” in Nigeria.
He wrote, “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to wipe out the Islamic terrorists committing these atrocities.”
A Presidency official, however, maintained that the diplomatic strain was not directly linked to the absence of ambassadors. “That’s not to say the lack of ambassadors caused the recent issues with the United States, but their presence could have made communication smoother,” the source explained.
The official added that foreign partners prefer to engage at the ambassadorial level, “especially in moments of crisis or negotiation.”
Sources also revealed that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, is scheduled to meet President Tinubu today (Tuesday) afternoon at the State House. Although the agenda was not immediately confirmed, it is believed the meeting could involve finalising the ambassadorial list.
“When the President is ready to make that appointment, it will be made public. The Presidency will release an official statement very soon,” another official said.
In April 2025, it was reported that the Federal Government had completed vetting and security clearances, but the appointments stalled due to funding shortages.
Officials said over $1 billion was required to settle arrears of foreign service officers, replace aging diplomatic vehicles, renovate embassies, and cover operational overheads.
Tinubu had earlier acknowledged the challenge of balancing political and professional interests in the selection process.
“It’s not easy stitching those names,” the President told members of The Buhari Organisation, led by former Nasarawa State Governor, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, during a visit to the State House on September 2, 2025.
“I couldn’t appoint everybody at once. I still have some slots for ambassadorial positions that so many people are craving for,” he said.
The post “Over Two Years Without Envoys” — Presidency Moves To Finalise Ambassadorial List Amid Pressure Over Nigeria’s Empty Missions appeared first on TheNigeriaLawyer.