President Bola Tinubu has transmitted a list of three ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, made the announcement during plenary on Wednesday.
The nominees are Kayode Are from Ogun State, Aminu Dalhatu from Jigawa State and Ayodele Oke.
After reading the letter from the President, Akpabio said, “The list contains three names for now, I am sure others will follow.”
Since Tinubu assumed office in 2023, he had not appointed any ambassador, a development that critics have repeatedly faulted. Following the decision of United States President Donald Trump to blacklist Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, many attributed the sanction to the absence of appointed envoys.
In an interview granted in September, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, dismissed suggestions that the absence of ambassadors had paralysed diplomatic missions.
He said all Nigerian embassies were functioning, adding that chargé d’affaires in the various missions were effectively discharging their responsibilities. “The absence of ambassadors has not created a vacuum,” he said.
Tuggar explained that although an ambassador is the head of mission, the diplomatic structure includes deputies, counsellors and career officers who oversee routine operations.
“Diplomacy is not a one-man show. The system is designed to cope with such situations,” he stated.
He stressed that the appointment of ambassadors is strictly the prerogative of the president and would be made at the appropriate time. “Mr President is considering the matter, and when the time is right, names will be announced. Meanwhile, our missions are not idle,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives were still being pursued, with embassies facilitating trade, investment, consular services and cultural exchanges. He added that Nigerians abroad continued to access services, and engagement with host countries had not diminished.
Tuggar maintained that several countries operate for long periods without ambassadors in some missions without impairing diplomatic relations. “This is not peculiar to Nigeria. Diplomacy provides for such scenarios. What matters is substance, not optics,” he said.
“Our foreign policy direction is clear, and our presence is felt globally. What we are doing is ensuring that our missions deliver tangible results for Nigerians, not just ceremonial appearances.”
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