Nigeria’s push to restore full diplomatic representation across key global capitals has received a boost, with several countries, including the United Kingdom, France and the United States, granting approval for the country’s ambassadorial nominees.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Monday that at least ten countries have issued agrément—the formal consent required before a diplomat can assume duty in a host nation.
In a statement, the ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the approvals mark steady progress in efforts to fill long-standing vacancies in Nigeria’s foreign missions.
According to him, “the countries that have granted approval include the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Ireland, Qatar, the Republic of Benin, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Senegal and Sierra Leone.”
He added that the process is still ongoing, noting that “responses from other countries are still being awaited.”
Ebienfa explained that once all necessary approvals are secured, the Federal Government will move to the next phase of deployment, including the formal induction of the envoys.
“The date for the induction ceremony will be announced in due course once it is finalised and confirmed by the Presidency,” he said.
The development comes after a prolonged delay in appointing ambassadors under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, leaving several Nigerian missions abroad without substantive heads since May 2023.
During the period, many embassies have been overseen by chargés d’affaires, a stopgap arrangement that drew concerns from stakeholders over its potential impact on Nigeria’s diplomatic strength and international engagements.
In a bid to close the gap, the Presidency forwarded a list of 65 ambassadorial nominees to the National Assembly in late 2025. While the nominees were screened in December, their eventual posting depends on securing agrément from respective host countries.
However, the process has not been without setbacks. Reports indicate that some nations, including India, declined to accept certain nominees, citing diplomatic policies that discourage receiving envoys from administrations with less than two years remaining in office.
Despite this, the latest wave of approvals signals renewed momentum in Nigeria’s efforts to fully re-establish its diplomatic presence across strategic global partners.
