Spokesperson Warns Nigerians Against Fake Ministry Of Foreign Affairs Recruitment Scam

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has raised alarm over a fake recruitment scam circulatingonline, falsely claiming to be from the ministry and offering jobs in Nigeria’s diplomatic missions abroad.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the spokesperson of the Ministry, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, said the public should disregard any such messages, stressing that the ministry does not recruit directly.

“We want to put on record that the ministry don’t recruit officers directly, not at all,” Ebienfa said. “Recruitment of foreign service officers is done by the Federal Civil Service Commission and not by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

According to him, the scam started with online advertisements falsely signed by the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, and in the last 24 hours, scammers have moved further by sending fake employment letters to unsuspecting Nigerians.

“One of the fake messages reads: ‘We are pleased to inform you that your application has been considered for diplomatic services at the Embassy of Nigeria in Juba, South Sudan to take effect 12 May 2025.

“It even directs candidates to pay N165,800 for a diplomatic passport”, he said.

Ebienfa described the offer as entirely fake. “This did not emanate from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,.

“There is no way you will be recruited into the Nigerian Diplomatic Service and without going through the process of training, which is the Foreign Service Academy”, he said

He clarified that all recruits into the Foreign Service go through a clear and formal process: recruitment by the Federal Civil Service Commission, training at the Foreign Service Academy, then eventual deployment abroad.

“The first deployment is one year of attachment. Subsequent postings last three years,” he said.

He therefore warned that no Nigerian should believe any job offer claiming to be directly from the ministry, or pay for a diplomatic passport.

“Diplomatic passports are free. “Even official passports for civil servants are free. So nobody should fall victim”, he said.

Ebienfa noted that the scammers are using the names of top officials of the ministry, including his own. “They are sending out emails with my name as the signatory,” he said.

In response to questions from journalists about efforts to stop the scammers, Ebienfa said the ministry would involve security agencies. “What the ministry intends to do is to write officially to the relevant security agencies to track the persons behind this website and the emails,” he said. “If someone is paying money, definitely there will be an account that will be provided for the payment.”

He warned that if the scam continues unchecked, it could damage Nigeria’s image abroad. “Tomorrow you will see unsuspecting Nigerians arriving in different countries with fake documents. When real officers show up, there could be confusion.”

He promised that more disclaimers would be issued via the ministry’s social media platforms, and that action would be taken to protect both Nigerians and the integrity of the foreign service.

“This is not just about fake news. It is about protecting Nigerians from losing their hard-earned money and protecting the name of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs”, the spokesperson stated.