UK, US, FRANCE, AND OTHERS ACCEPT APPOINTMENTS OF NIGERIAN AMBASSADORS
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By: Muftau Fatimo
The Federal Government has announced that several countries, including the United Kingdom, France, and the United States, have granted ‘agrément’ to Nigeria’s ambassadorial nominees, marking a significant step toward filling long-standing diplomatic vacancies.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, stated on Monday that Nigeria has so far received approvals from ten countries.
Agrément is the official consent a host country gives to accept a diplomat nominated by another nation, a necessary step before an ambassador can officially take up their post.
The ministry confirmed that the countries granting approval include the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Ireland, Qatar, the Republic of Benin, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Senegal, and Sierra Leone.
“Responses from other countries are still pending,” the statement added.
Ebienfa further explained that the process of obtaining agrément from host nations is still ongoing, noting that the date for the envoys’ induction ceremony will be announced once it is finalised and approved by the Presidency.
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“The date for the induction ceremony will be communicated in due course once it has been confirmed by the Presidency,” he said.
The development comes after a lengthy period during which Nigeria operated without substantive ambassadors in several foreign missions under President Bola Tinubu.
Since taking office in May 2023, Tinubu delayed new ambassadorial appointments, leaving key diplomatic posts unfilled and relying primarily on chargés d’affaires to oversee missions.
This absence of ambassadors drew criticism from stakeholders, who cautioned that it could undermine Nigeria’s diplomatic influence and weaken bilateral relations, especially with 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 postings are still contingent on receiving agrément from host nations.
Meanwhile, The media previously reported that some countries, including India, have declined certain nominees, citing diplomatic policies that discourage accepting envoys from administrations with less than two years remaining in office.
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