The Federal Government has announced that a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, France, and the United States, have formally accepted Nigeria’s ambassadorial nominees, signaling progress in the ongoing process to fill vacant diplomatic positions across the world.
The development was disclosed on Monday by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, who confirmed that Nigeria has so far received official approval from 10 countries. According to the ministry, the nations that have granted diplomatic consent include the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Ireland, Qatar, the Republic of Benin, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Senegal, and Sierra Leone.
The ministry explained that the approval process is still underway in several other countries, with responses expected as diplomatic engagements continue. It added that the formal posting and induction of the ambassadors would only be concluded after all necessary procedures have been completed and the Presidency gives final clearance.
Ebienfa noted that the date for the induction ceremony has not yet been fixed, stating that it would be announced once the process is fully finalised and confirmed by the Presidency.
The ambassadorial appointments are part of the Federal Government’s broader effort to strengthen Nigeria’s diplomatic presence and representation abroad after a period of vacancies in several missions. The Presidency had earlier forwarded a list of 65 ambassadorial nominees to the National Assembly toward the end of 2025.
Although the nominees were screened in December, their eventual deployment remains subject to the approval of the countries where they are expected to serve. In diplomatic practice, host nations are required to grant what is known as “agrément” before an ambassador can be officially appointed and posted.
However, the process has not been without challenges. Reports indicate that some countries, including India, have declined to approve certain nominees. The rejections were said to be linked to diplomatic conventions that often discourage the acceptance of ambassadors from administrations approaching the end of their tenure, especially when less than two years remain in office.
Despite these setbacks, the approvals already secured are being seen as a positive step for Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives and its efforts to fully restore diplomatic representation in key countries around the world.
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