President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the posting of 65 ambassadors-designate to Nigerian missions worldwide, including the United Nations, in a move aimed at reinforcing the country’s diplomatic presence abroad.
The list includes 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.
According to a statement issued on Friday by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, several prominent political figures and public officials feature among the non-career envoys assigned to key missions.
Prominent postings include former presidential aide Reno Omokri to Mexico, former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode to Germany, Senator Ita Enang to South Africa, and former INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu to Qatar. Former Chief of Naval Staff and Rivers State administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Iba, has been posted to the Philippines, while Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, wife of the former Oyo State governor, will serve in Austria.
Other strategic appointments 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. Former Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau has been assigned to China, while former Lagos deputy governor Olufemi Pedro will serve in Australia. Other notable postings include Isaak Adewole to Canada, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, former Abia State governor Okezie Ikpeazu to Spain, and former Enugu State governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to Greece.
Alongside the political appointees, 34 career diplomats have been deployed to missions across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Key assignments include Nwabiola Chukwumeka to Côte d’Ivoire, Mohammed Lele to Algeria, and Ahmed Monguno to Egypt. Others include Muhammad Dahiru to India, Haidara Idris to The Hague in the Netherlands, and Sulu Olatunji to Malaysia.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already begun the diplomatic process required for their deployment. Agreements (agréments) have been secured from the United Kingdom for High Commissioner-designate Aminu Dalhatu and from France for Ayodele Oke. The ministry has conveyed the nominations of the remaining 62 envoys to their respective countries.
“The Ministry has been directed to immediately commence the induction programme for the ambassadors-designate and High Commissioners,” the statement said.
The appointments come after months of diplomatic vacancies, which analysts said had created gaps in Nigeria’s foreign representation.
