President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has attributed the delay in appointing new ambassadors to the intricate task of assembling a balanced and comprehensive list amid competing interests.
Speaking recently, the President acknowledged the public’s expectation but asked for continued understanding.
“I couldn’t appoint everybody that I could have appointed, thank you for your patience till now. I still have some slots for ambassadorial positions that too many people are craving for, but it’s not easy stitching together those names,” he stated.
He further explained that his administration’s foremost priority has been restoring economic stability and rekindling hope.
“First of all, heal the economy. Bring hope to the people. That is what we stood for. And that hope is here. Thank you for believing in me,” he affirmed.
Meanwhile, Sumner Sambo, Director of News at Arise Television, highlighted another dimension of the delay: budgetary pressures.
Speaking on the station, Sambo observed that the high cost of maintaining Nigeria’s foreign missions may have influenced the decision to postpone appointments.
“You have a classical example here, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs saying that, look, we do not have money. At the moment, our embassies, our high commissions and other places are actually being challenged with funding issues,” he said.
He added: “It’s a budgetary constraint, and it’s coming from the National Assembly. Now the basic funding of high commissions are not even being taken care of. Talk more of contracts and all of that.”
Sambo warned that appointing ambassadors would entail further expenditure on allowances, staff, logistics, official vehicles and residences. “That’s the more reason why you’ve seen that President Bola Tinubu has delayed the appointment of ambassadors for two years plus now, because he’s feeling that the wage bill is high,” he explained.
Indeed, since assuming office in May 2023, President Tinubu has not made any ambassadorial appointments, leaving many diplomatic missions without substantive leadership and relying instead on career diplomats and chargés d’affaires to manage affairs.
Reports confirm that the foreign ministry forwarded ambassadorial nominations to the President over a year ago, yet they have not been formally submitted to the Senate for confirmation.
Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar acknowledged that Tinubu’s focus on economic reforms, including the removal of the petrol subsidy and exchange rate adjustments, delayed the appointment process significantly.
Sources indicate that capital expenditure required to renovate embassies, settle arrears, and maintain operations abroad runs close to US$1 billion.
In the absence of necessary funding, the ministry has argued that deploying ambassadors would be ineffective and irresponsible.
Nevertheless, the Federal Government has proposed an allocation of ₦55 billion in the 2025 budget: ₦2.1 billion for posting and return entitlements, and ₦53 billion for renovating embassies and residences across 103 missions.
The prolonged absence of ambassadors has attracted criticism. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) called the situation a “diplomatic embarrassment” and warned it is eroding Nigeria’s global image, particularly as other countries persist in forging alliances and trade terms. The party expressed concern that junior diplomats lack the authority to engage effectively with host governments.
However, reports indicate that the issue of funding is now being addressed and that ambassadorial appointments are expected soon.
Security agencies have commenced background checks on prospective nominees, with findings shared across relevant government bodies.
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