The Federal Government has acknowledged that several Nigerian diplomatic and consular missions abroad are facing serious financial and operational difficulties, including unpaid staff salaries, mounting debts to landlords, and obligations to service providers.
In a statement issued on Monday, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, confirmed the situation, noting that the financial strain has affected the smooth running of embassies and consulates across various countries.
“The ministry is not unaware of the restrictions that financial limitations have placed on the smooth running of the missions,” the statement read.
“This includes the inability to pay salaries of locally recruited staff, fulfill financial obligations to service providers and landlords, and meet foreign service allowance commitments to home-based officers.”
Ebienfa explained that the funding crisis is a direct reflection of broader economic challenges in Nigeria, which have impacted government operations across the board.
“The Nigerian diplomatic missions are not immune to the economic situation at home. Years of budgetary constraints have led to significant shortfalls in allocations to missions,” he added.
Despite these constraints, the Federal Government assured both Nigerians at home and abroad that the welfare of diplomatic staff and their families remains a priority for the Tinubu administration.
According to Ebienfa, special intervention funds have recently been approved and released to ease the burden on missions hardest hit by the financial crunch. A committee has also been set up to review and verify the debt profiles of affected missions.
“Over 80 percent of available funds have been cleared for payments, with priority given to service providers, salaries of locally recruited staff, and arrears owed to officers,” the statement said.
The ministry reiterated that while the current challenges are significant, ongoing efforts are underway to stabilise operations, ensure financial responsibility, and restore the missions’ capacity to fulfil their diplomatic duties.
