President Bola Tinubu is set to announce Nigeria’s ambassadors in the coming weeks, according to Ademola Oshodi, the Senior Special Adviser on Foreign Affairs and Protocol to the President.
Oshodi made this known on Sunday, stating that the necessary steps, including Senate approval and accreditation, would follow the announcement to ensure the ambassadors assume their duties in various missions worldwide.
“I believe in the next few weeks, there will be a pronouncement for the ambassadors, and steps will be taken by the Senate and accreditation to put them in place in their various missions around the world,” Oshodi said.
The delay in ambassadorial appointments has sparked criticism from former Nigerian envoys, including Lawrence Obisakin, a former Ambassador to Benin Republic, and Ayoola Olukanni, a former High Commissioner to Australia.
They expressed concern over the absence of ambassadors 16 months after Tinubu recalled all political and career envoys shortly after assuming office in June 2023.
At the time, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar defended the recall, emphasizing that ambassadors serve at the President’s discretion. However, over a year later, fresh appointments are yet to be submitted to the Senate for approval.
Addressing the delay, Oshodi clarified that President Tinubu has been working behind the scenes to lay a solid foundation for the incoming ambassadors.
“The ambassadors are coming, but the most important thing we should realise is that things are being put in place. We currently have chargé d’affaires and consul generals already serving as a prelude to the ambassadors’ arrival,” Oshodi added.
Nigeria continues to host foreign ambassadors in Abuja while its diplomatic missions abroad await permanent representatives.
