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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the posting of 65 ambassadors-designate to Nigerian diplomatic missions worldwide, including those at the United Nations, in a move aimed at strengthening the country’s diplomatic presence abroad.
The list comprises 31 non-career ambassadors and 34 career diplomats, whose nominations by the President last November were confirmed by the Senate in December 2025 following their screening by the lawmakers.
According to a statement issued by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Friday, several prominent political figures and public officials were among the non-career envoys assigned to key foreign missions.
Among them is former presidential aide Reno Omokri, who has been posted to Mexico, while former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode will serve as Nigeria’s ambassador to Germany.
Also on the list is Senator Ita Enang, who has been assigned to South Africa, and former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, who has been posted to Qatar.
While a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Iba, who served as an administrator in Rivers State, was posted to the Philippines, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, the wife of a former governor of Oyo State, will serve in Austria.
Other notable non-career postings include Aminu Dalhatu as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Lateef Kayode Are as ambassador to the United States, and Ayodele Oke as ambassador to France.
The list of non-career ambassadors also features several political figures and former public office holders assigned to strategic missions around the world.
These include a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, to China; a former deputy governor of Lagos State, Olufemi Pedro, to Australia; Isaak Adewole to Canada; and Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, who will serve as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
In addition, a former Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, has been posted to Spain, while his Enugu State counterpart, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has been assigned to Greece.
Career Diplomats
Alongside the political appointees, the President also approved the deployment of 34 career diplomats to various missions across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
The postings include Nwabiola Chukwumeka to Côte d’Ivoire, Mohammed Lele to Algeria, and Ahmed Monguno to Egypt.
Other career diplomats on the list include Muhammad Dahiru to India, Haidara Idris to The Hague in the Netherlands, and Sulu Olatunji to Malaysia, among others.
According to the statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already begun the diplomatic process required for the deployment of the envoys.
The Presidency also disclosed that the ministry has secured agreement from the United Kingdom for High Commissioner-designate Aminu Dalhatu, while France has also granted agreement for Ayodele Oke.
“The Ministry has also conveyed the nominations of the other 62 designated envoys to all the countries concerned, including a request for their agréments in line with standard diplomatic practice.
President Tinubu has directed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should immediately commence the induction programme for the ambassadors-designate and High Commissioners,” it added.
The ambassadorial appointments come after months of diplomatic vacancies, with analysts previously noting that delays in filling the positions created gaps in Nigeria’s foreign representation.
