President Bola Tinubu has submitted a list of three ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, marking his first such appointments since assuming office in 2023.
The nominees, announced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Wednesday’s plenary session, are Kayode Are (Ogun State), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa State), and Ayodele Oke.
“The list contains three names for now — I am sure others will follow,” Akpabio stated after reading the presidential communication.
The move comes amid ongoing public and political scrutiny over the delayed appointment of ambassadors, which critics argue has hampered Nigeria’s diplomatic engagements. Notably, the absence of confirmed ambassadors was partly blamed for Nigeria’s designation as a “Country of Particular Concern” by the United States under former President Donald Trump.
However, in a September interview, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar dismissed concerns that diplomatic missions had been weakened, emphasizing that chargés d’affaires and career officers had maintained full operational capacity.
“All our embassies are functioning well. The absence of ambassadors has not created a vacuum,” Tuggar stated. “Diplomacy is not a one-man show. The system is designed to cope with such situations.”
He reiterated that appointing ambassadors remains the president’s prerogative and assured that more nominations would be made in due course.
Nigeria’s foreign missions continue to facilitate trade, investment, consular services, and bilateral engagements despite the delay in ambassadorial postings. The latest nominations signal the administration’s intent to gradually reinforce diplomatic representation abroad.
