Tinubu Administration Targets 109 Foreign Missions with N41bn Upgrade Plan

Tinubu Administration Targets 109 Foreign Missions with N41bn Upgrade Plan
N374m was earmarked for the Cairo mission, N380m for Cotonou
In December 2025, President Tinubu forwarded an expanded list of 64 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate

The Federal Government has proposed a budget of over N41bn in the 2026 Appropriation Bill for the renovation, furnishing and equipping of 109 Nigerian foreign missions across the world.

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Eko Hot Blog gathered that the allocation is intended to cover the rehabilitation of chanceries, ambassadors’ residences and staff quarters, as well as the purchase of office furniture and official vehicles for Nigeria’s diplomatic missions.

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A breakdown of the proposal indicates that N374m was earmarked for the Cairo mission, N380m for Cotonou, N387m for Freetown, and N391m each for Port of Spain and New York. Other allocations include N389m for Ouagadougou and Nairobi, N383m for Malabo, N386m for Athens, N388m for Abidjan, N436m for Kingston, N384m for Lome, N376m for Beijing, N382m for Bamako, N405m for Lusaka, N513m for Algiers, N568m for Banjul, N379m for London, N387m for Johannesburg and N385m for Kuwait, among others.

The proposed sum represents a reduction from the N53bn approved for similar purposes in the 2025 budget, reflecting ongoing fiscal adjustments by the Federal Government.

Since assuming office in May 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has embarked on a review of Nigeria’s foreign policy framework, which included the recall of 83 ambassadors in September 2023. However, the deployment of new envoys has been delayed, largely due to funding challenges.

Tinubu Administration Targets 109 Foreign Missions with N41bn Upgrade Plan

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, had earlier attributed the delay to inadequate funds for embassy operations and the take-off costs required for newly appointed ambassadors.

In December 2025, President Tinubu forwarded an expanded list of 64 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate in a bid to fill long-standing vacancies and reposition Nigeria’s diplomatic missions.

The nominees comprised 34 career ambassadors and high commissioners and 30 non-career appointees, all of whom were subsequently confirmed by the Senate.

Speaking at an end-of-year press briefing, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed that the newly appointed ambassadors are expected to assume duty in 2026, a development aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s bilateral relations and enhancing its diplomatic presence globally.