Thirteen months after President Bola Tinubu’s recall of 83 ambassadors, Nigeria remains without formal representatives in 109 diplomatic missions worldwide, sparking concerns over its international presence and diplomatic engagements.
In September 2023, the Federal Government initiated the recall of career and non-career envoys to reassess its foreign policy.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the ambassadors were directed to return by October 31, 2023. However, the process of appointing new envoys has stalled, creating a significant gap in Nigeria’s diplomatic operations.
Although the president approved the appointment of 12 consuls-general and five chargés d’affaires in April 2024, the majority of missions remain unstaffed. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs cited funding shortages as the key reason for the delay.
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Ministry spokesperson Ambassador Eche Abu-Ode stated in June that the deployment of ambassadors is tied to a supplementary budget allocation, and without it, no progress can be made.
A senior official, speaking anonymously, expressed frustration, saying, “There is silence on the matter. Nobody knows what is going on.”
Retired Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, highlighted the importance of having principal envoys, warning that without full-fledged ambassadors, Nigeria risks losing influence in high-level diplomatic engagements.
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