Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said more than 25 of the 65 ambassador-designates appointed by President Bola Tinubu have secured agrément from host countries, clearing the way for their eventual deployment to foreign missions.
Briefing journalists in Abuja on Friday, the ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said approvals were continuing to arrive “daily”, signalling steady progress in the diplomatic accreditation process required before envoys can assume duties abroad.
“We have received agreements from over 25 countries where ambassador-designates have been sent. We are receiving agreements every day, and before the date of induction, we will receive even more,” he said.
According to the ministry, a three-day induction programme for the envoys has been scheduled for 27–29 April, after which deployments will begin immediately for those who have completed the process. Others, Ebienfa noted, may still await final clearances from their respective host governments.
Agrément — the formal consent granted by receiving states after background checks on nominees — remains a critical step in diplomatic postings. Once secured, the ministry proceeds with orientation, exposing ambassadors and, in some cases, their spouses to diplomatic protocols, conduct in host countries and the administration’s expectations.
“We are going to talk to them about how to conduct themselves, how to host official engagements, how to advertise the country very well, for our own benefits,” Ebienfa said.
On whether any nominees had been rejected, the spokesperson declined to give specifics, but insisted that no appointee would be left without a posting. With more than 70 diplomatic missions available, he suggested that candidates declined by one country could be reassigned to another.
Following Tinubu’s assumption of office in 2023, Nigeria experienced a prolonged gap in ambassadorial appointments, leaving several missions under the stewardship of chargés d’affaires. The presidency moved to address the vacuum in late 2025, forwarding a list of 65 nominees to the National Assembly for screening, though their deployment has since depended on securing host-country consent.
The ministry also raised concerns over what it described as a growing trend of individuals and groups falsely assuming diplomatic titles, warning that such actions could attract prosecution.
Ebienfa said authorities had observed “unscrupulous individuals” fraudulently conferring titles such as ambassador or diplomatic envoy on themselves or others, often accompanied by the use of fake diplomatic materials.
“These titles are not recognised under Nigerian laws or relevant international conventions,” he said, adding that the government would act to preserve the integrity of the country’s diplomatic service.
“The Federal Government remains committed to protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s diplomatic service and will not tolerate any form of misrepresentation that brings the nation to disrepute.”
