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Just in: Tinubu Set To Appoint Nigeria’s Ambassadors, High Commissioners
By Kayode Danny
President Tinubu is set to appoint Nigeria’s ambassadors and high commissioners to various countries and multilateral organisations.
There are indications that President Bola Tinubu is set to transmit names of ambassadors-designate to the Senate for screening and confirmation.
The list comprises nominees who will serve as Nigeria’s ambassadors and high commissioners to various countries and multilateral organisations.
Government officials with knowledge of the developments told our correspondent that names of nominees would be transmitted in early December
The development comes 14 months after 83 ambassadors were recalled in September 2023.
Nigeria has 109 missions, 76 embassies, 22 high commissions and 11 consulates globally.
Recall that on November 21, 2024, the Federal Government commenced the deployment of consular officers to diplomatic missions worldwide, before the anticipated release of the ambassadorial list.
On Wednesday, the President left Abuja for a three-day state visit to France at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron.
Afterwards, he is expected in South Africa for a state visit, his second appearance in the country after attending President Cyril Ramaphosa’s inauguration ceremony last June.
Upon assuming office in May 2023, Tinubu reassessed Nigeria’s foreign policy, leading to the recall of the 83 career and non-career ambassadors from their stations.
The envoys were instructed to return to Nigeria by October 31, 2023.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, said the ambassadors served at the President’s behest in their host nations and it was his “prerogative to send or recall them from any country.”
However, 14 months later, they were yet to be replaced, leaving a diplomatic void.
Section 171(2)(1c) and Subsection 4 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) stipulate that appointments to the office of ambassador, high commissioner or other principal representatives of Nigeria abroad be made by the President and shall not have effect unless the Senate confirms it.
On March 25, Tuggar confirmed that the ministry had compiled and forwarded the names of prospective career diplomats to the President for consideration.
“We have collated everything on our part and forwarded it to Mr President,” Tuggar told our correspondent.
Though it was unclear whether the nominees were political or career diplomats, indications suggested they primarily comprised the latter.
While career diplomats are determined by their progression through the Foreign Service, political diplomats are often appointees of the President.
The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, who earlier spoke on the issue, said such nominations must pass through a thorough process before a final list is transmitted to the National Assembly.
“Don’t forget that the ambassadorial list has two components. There are career ambassadors and political ambassadors. The foreign affairs list and the consolidated list will still go through certain processes before it is released,” he said.
In a recent interview, one official who asked to remain anonymous as he was not authorised to speak to the press confirmed that the appointment was imminent.
“Ambassadorial appointments require approval from the National Assembly. So, the list will be submitted to the Senate President, who will then announce it. But it has not been submitted yet. Yes, I can confirm that.
“Once submitted to the Senate President, they will publish it the following day. So, that means it would be until he (President Tinubu) comes back from France and South Africa because he is going to South Africa from France for a state visit. After that, he will release it,” said the official.
In April 2024, the government appointed 12 consuls-general and five chargés d’affaires to represent Nigeria in 14 countries, but these interim measures fell short of filling the leadership vacuum in key missions.
Consuls-general and chargés d’affaires can perform routine administrative duties and oversee the operations of an embassy. They, however, lack the diplomatic weight to engage at the highest levels, such as with heads of state or critical international negotiations.
On May 28, the foreign affairs minister cited lack of funds as the primary reason for the delay in the appointment of new ambassadors.
A few days later, former Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Eche Abu-Ode, said any new ambassadorial appointments would depend on budget allocations.
A senior official in the nation’s Foreign Service with knowledge of the developments said although the appointees would be named in early December, they would not begin their tour of duty until months later.
The official explained, “This is the last week of November. Within the first week of December, it should be out. It’s long overdue. What happens is that the Senate will screen those appointed.
“There’s usually an agreement; it’s like one president writing to another president informing them that ‘I am sending such and such a person as my principal representative to your country.’
“The other country will write back saying they have accepted such a person. That ambassador will now take a letter of credence to the host president.
“Once a foreign government receives an agreement, it does serious background checks on the persons nominated for ambassadorial roles to know the person’s standing and to ensure that they don’t have inimical intentions for the country. But we haven’t gotten to that stage yet.
“Those nominated have to be announced first. When they are announced, it will take a minimum of three months and a maximum of six months for them to begin their tour of duty.
“This depends on the country. For instance, if Nigeria wants to send an ambassador to the Niger Republic, given the current state of the relationship, Niger would understandably take its time to run this check.”
On the identities of the designates, The PUNCH gathered that a senior official in the President’s media team had been penned down for the appointment.
“The ambassador thing is coming up very soon. It’s coming soon and it’s going to be announced in about a week. Maybe not all the countries, it’s going to be African countries first. But it will soon be released.
“What I’m hearing is that one of the presidential media aides is likely going to be made an ambassador to one of those African countries. If there’s any announcement, his name will be mentioned,” said a senior State House official close to the President.
It was lrnt that a founder of a tier-one bank, a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State and the Speaker of a House of Assembly in the North, were considered for ambassadorial roles.
Another official told The PUNCH that expectations were high due to the months-long lag, and concerns continued to grow as the country’s foreign missions were left without top ambassadors to fill the vacuum.
“It has been a long coming. Many decisions are on hold because our missions and embassies are still expecting new diplomats. Major meetings are happening around the world without us because we have no representation at such levels
The President cannot be everywhere at the same time. The minister of foreign affairs cannot do everything by himself,” the official said, preferring to stay anonymous as he was not authorised to speak to the press.
Meanwhile, ex-diplomats have raised concerns over the eight-month delay in posting ambassadors, saying the country would be disadvantaged due to non-representation.
They warned that Nigeria’s absence from the international stage could have long-term consequences for its reputation.
A former Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico and Singapore, Dr Ogbole Amedu-Ode, said, “In a situation of negotiations taking place at the highest level of the mission hierarchy, it means that those missions that do not have their principal envoys would be placed at a disadvantage of non-representation.
“However, it is not too much of an issue in the practice of diplomacy. This is because, in the absence of a principal envoy of ambassadorial rank, the Chargés d’affaires will hold watch until a substantive head of mission arrives. Government and governance, which extends to diplomacy and diplomatic practice, have continuity as one of their hallmarks.”
Similarly, a retired Consul to Cameroon and delegate to the World Expo and Economic Development Centre in Paris, Amb Rasheed Akinkuolie, was concerned that host governments might question why Nigeria had not replaced its recalled ambassadors, potentially seeing the prolonged absence as a sign of instability.
Akinkuolie argued, “It is not the best option not to have resident ambassadors at a post. Chargés d’affaires may not be able to relate with host governments at the highest level, which includes heads of state.
“A chargé d’affaires can generally only relate with foreign ministries and other officials.”
The Federal Capital Territory Civil Service Commission (FCT-CSC), in partnership with the Office of the Head of Service, FCT Administration (FCTA) has taken steps to ensure public servants transition into a prosperous and purposeful post-service life.
Chairman of the Commission, Mr Emeka Ezeh, disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday, at the opening of a pre-retirement workshop for retiring civil servants with the theme “How to Triumph In Retirement”.
Ezeh urged the retiring members of staff to develop concrete strategies that would turn their post-service years into a productive, financially secure and deeply rewarding chapter.
He described the seminar as the very first collaborative initiative between the commission and the Head of Service’s office, underscoring a joint resolve to protect the post-service welfare of senior citizens.
He noted that after dedicating 35 to 40 years of active service or reaching the mandatory age of 60 to 65 years, officers often face anxiety regarding the future, making proactive guidance essential for a rewarding transition.
The chairman said that the seminar directly aligns with Section 7c(ii) of the Commission’s Establishment Act, which mandates the body to advise the FCT Minister on employee conditions.
According to him, a well-motivated workforce remains the bedrock of public sector productivity.
Reflecting on recent structural transformations, Ezeh said that the FCT Civil Service has embraced disruptive innovations designed to enforce strict merit, transparency and administrative discipline across all cadre levels.
Among these landmark reforms, Ezeh highlighted the comprehensive staff verification exercise, which successfully harmonised personnel data across the entire FCTA into a single, secure and coherent central database under the commission’s oversight.
“Furthermore, the commission successfully cleared a long-standing backlog of promotion exercises spanning 2023, 2024, and 2025, restoring professional morale and resolving key career progression bottlenecks for thousands of workers.
“The integration of Computer-Based Testing for promotion examinations is also a major leap forward, ensuring the swift release of results, eliminating sharp practices, and instilling transparency in career advancements,” he said.
Ezeh also announced the rollout of official FCT-CSC Guidelines on appointment, promotion and discipline, alongside two published Annual Reports, with a Standard Operating Procedure for conversion, upgrading, advancement and skipping nearing completion.
Attributing these institutional successes to the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Bola Tinubu and the visionary leadership of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, Ezeh praised FCTA for opening unprecedented career pathways.
He explained that the pathways allow FCT workers to rise to the ranks of Permanent Secretary and Head of Service.
He thanked Wike and the acting Head of Service, Mrs Nancy Nathan, for their collaborative support, stressing that the pre-retirement training initiative would become a sustained annual event.
In her remarks, Nathan commended the retiring officers for their unwavering dedication, loyalty, and invaluable contributions to the growth and governance of the FCT.
She reassured the retirees that while their names may eventually leave the active government payroll, their developmental blueprints, institutional wisdom, and years of hard work would remain permanently embedded in the territory’s progress.
She emphasised that retirement should never be viewed as an end to personal relevance, but rather as a strategic repositioning to deploy decades of accrued wisdom toward mentorship, community development, and entrepreneurial ventures.
“To ensure holistic readiness, the training programme was structured around critical pillars, including strategic financial management of terminal benefits, sound investment choices, physical and mental health maintenance, and impactful community engagement,” she said.
Nathan urged the retiring public servants to embrace purposeful living, noting that true triumph in post-service life occurs when contribution replaces compensation and personal fulfillment replaces daily routine.
Addressing administrative concerns, the acting head of service gave firm assurances that the FCTA is actively collaborating with relevant agencies to streamline processes and guarantee the prompt payment of retirement entitlements.
“The seminar is designed to offer participants actionable frameworks to manage lifestyle changes, mitigate financial risks, and maintain strong social connection networks,” she added.
Some of the participants expressed immense gratitude for the timely workshop, noting that the actionable strategies provided would significantly alleviate post-service anxiety and build firm confidence for a fulfilling future.
…Vote Tinubu for President
Vote Aduda for Senate
Federal Capital Territory FCT minister Nyesom Wike has started campaigning for President Bola TInubu and Phillip Aduda in Abuja.
Watch the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, telling the people of Tungan Shanu village during the inspection of the ongoing construction of the road linking Tungan Madaki with Zuba Road today to vote President TInubu and Aduda for Senate.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) says its Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) will soon be inaugurated as the party intensifies preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The party disclosed this in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director Esq., on September 21, 2026.
According to the statement, the NDC is currently consulting with relevant stakeholders to develop and inaugurate what it described as a robust Presidential Campaign Council.
The party said its Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi, and Vice-Presidential Candidate, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, had held several meetings with the National Leader and leadership of the party as part of the process.
The NDC said Obi and Kwankwaso had been given the opportunity to nominate key officials of the campaign council in consultation with the party.
Those positions include the Director-General of the Campaign, Deputy Director-General (North), Campaign Spokesman, Deputy Spokesman, Head of New Media, Finance Director, Deputy Finance Director and other positions.
The party said the arrangement was designed to promote inclusiveness and cohesion within the campaign structure.
It added that a full organogram of the campaign structure had been developed since August and made available to Obi and Kwankwaso for their input, while nominations had also been received from other stakeholders across the country.
The NDC said it would announce and inaugurate the PCC after receiving the inputs of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
It also disclosed that a campaign timetable had been proposed since August, with arrangements for campaign funding and fundraising still being concluded.
According to the party, funds raised for the presidential campaign would be paid into the presidential campaign account and managed by officers nominated by the presidential candidate and his running mate alongside the party’s National Treasurer.
The party said the PCC inauguration, initially scheduled for the first week of September, was postponed because of the travel schedule of the presidential candidate.
Meanwhile, the NDC has directed its state and Local Government Area (LGA) chairmen to commence the compilation and harmonisation of party agents ahead of the 2027 elections.
The directive, according to the party, is in line with the Electoral Act, 2026, and requires state and LGA chairmen to meet with candidates and relevant stakeholders to produce comprehensive lists of agents.
The agents will be divided into two categories: those for National Assembly elections and those for governorship and State Assembly elections.
The party said the lists would be scrutinised and ratified by its leadership, including the presidential candidate and his running mate, before training commences.
The exercise is expected to be completed and the final lists submitted within two weeks of the directive.
The committee responsible for the appointment of party agents is chaired by the NDC Deputy National Chairman (South), Comrade Babatunde Alli. Vin Martin Ilo serves as secretary, while Dr Yunusa Tanko, Nafiu Dankura and the National Vice Chairmen of the six geopolitical zones are members.
The party also appealed to its candidates at all levels to discourage supporters and support groups from engaging in internal battles, urging them instead to concentrate on winning the elections.
“There are no battles to fight within the NDC,” the party stated, identifying the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as its common opponent.
The NDC said it remained committed to supporting its candidates and urged them to focus on winning elections, stressing that its candidates were contesting under the party and not as independent candidates.
The party expressed its desire for all its candidates to win their respective elections and called on members and supporters to remain focused on the 2027 electoral contest.
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