UK, US, France, others approve Nigeria’s ambassadorial nominees
The Federal Government has received approvals from several key countries, including the United Kingdom, France, and the United States, for Nigeria’s ambassadorial nominees, marking a major step towards filling long-vacant diplomatic positions.
The confirmation was disclosed on Monday by Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who stated that Nigeria has so far secured agrément from ten countries.
Agrément is the formal consent granted by a host nation to accept a diplomat nominated by another country, and it is a prerequisite before an ambassador can officially assume duty.
Other countries that have granted approval include Ireland, Qatar, the Republic of Benin, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. Ebienfa noted that responses from additional nations are still awaited.
“The date for the induction ceremony will be announced in due course once it is finalised and confirmed by the Presidency,” he said, adding that the process of securing agrément remains ongoing.
The development comes after a prolonged period during which Nigeria operated without substantive ambassadors in several foreign missions under President Bola Tinubu. Since taking office in May 2023, key diplomatic posts remained vacant, with chargés d’affaires managing most missions.
This vacuum had drawn criticism from stakeholders, who warned that the absence of ambassadors could weaken Nigeria’s diplomatic influence and bilateral engagements, particularly in strategic countries.
To address the gap, the Presidency submitted a list of 65 ambassadorial nominees to the National Assembly in late 2025. Although the nominees were screened in December, their official deployment depends on receiving agrément from host nations.
Meanwhile, some countries, including India, have reportedly declined certain nominees, citing diplomatic policies that discourage the appointment of envoys from administrations with less than two years remaining in office.
With approvals now coming from key global partners, Nigeria moves closer to strengthening its foreign missions and bolstering its international engagements.
