By Paul Ejime
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has finally approved the postings of 31 career and 34 non-career Nigerian ambassadors-designate to various countries and the United Nations, more than three years following his inauguration in May 2023. They were named in batches last year and screened by the Senate.
According to a State House statement on Friday, 6th March, the envoys-designate include Prof Mahmood Yakubu, former Chair of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who is posted to Qatar, as well as Reno Omokri and Femi Fani-Kayode, whose nominations generated so much public interest and controversy for opposing the Tinubu administration in the past. Both are assigned to Mexico and Germany, respectively.
Below is the list of the envoys-designate and their postings:
NON-CAREER AMBASSADORS/HIGH COMMISSIONERS-DESINATE
*NAME MISSIONS*- SEN. GRACE BENT: TOGO
- SEN. ITA ENANG: SOUTH AFRICA
- IKPEAZU VICTOR: SPAIN
- NKECHI LINDA UFOCHUKWU: ISRAEL
- MAHMUD YAKUBU: QATAR
- PAUL OGA ADIKWU: THE VATICAN CITY (HOLY SEE)
- VICE ADMIRAL IBOK-ETE EKWE IBAS: THE PHILIPPINES
- RENO OMOKRI: MEXICO
- HON. ABASI BRAIMAH: HUNGARY
- MRS. ERELU ANGELA ADEBAYO: PORTUGAL
- BARR. OLUMILUA OLUWAYIMIKA AYOTUNWA: JAPAN
- HON. UGWUANYI IFEANYI LAWRENCE: GREECE
- BARR. CHIOMA PRISCILLA OHAKIM: POLAND
- AMINU DALHATU: UNITED KINGDOM
- LT. GEN ABDULRAHMAN BELLO DAMBAZAU: CHINA
- HON. TASIU MUSA MAIGARI: THE GAMBIA
- MRS OLUFEMI PEDRO: AUSTRALIA
- BARR. MUHAMMED UBANDOMA ALIYU: ARGENTINA
- LATEEF KAYODE ARE: USA
- AMB. JOSEPH SOLA IJI: RUSSIA
- SEN. JIMOH IBRAHIM: UN PERM. REP. NEW YORK
- FEMI FANI KAYODE: GERMANY
- PROF. ISAAK FOLORUNSO ADEWOLE: CANADA
- MRS AJIMOBI FATIMA FLORENCE: AUSTRIA
- MRS. LOLA AKANDE: SWEDEN
- AYODELE OKE: FRANCE
- YAKUBU N. GAMBO: SAUDI ARABIA
- SEN.. NORA LADI DADUUT: SOUTH KOREA
- BARR. ONUEZE CHUKWUJIKA JOE OKOCHA SAN: IRELAND
- DR. KULU HARUNA ABUBAKAR: TUNISIA
- HON. JERRY SAMUEL MANWE: TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
CAREER AMBASSADORS/HIGH COMMISSIONERS-DESIGNATE
NAME MISSIONS
- AMB. NWABIOLA EZENWA CHUKWUMEKA: COTE D’IV/OIRE
- BESTO MAIMUNA IBRAHIM: NIGER
- MONICA OKWUCHUKWU ENEBECHI: SAO TOME & PRINCIPE
- AMB. MOHAMMED MAHMUD LELE: ALGERIA
- ENDONI SYNDOPH PAEBI: BURKINA FASO
- AHMED MOHAMMED MONGUNO: EGYPT
- AMB.JANE ADAMS (NEE OKON) MICHAEL: JAMAICA
- AMB. CLARK-OMERU ALEXANDRA: ZAMBIA
- CHIMA GEOGGREY LIOMA DAVID: MALI
- AMB. ODUMAH YVONNE EHINOSEN: EQUATORIAL-GUINEA
- AMB WASA SEGUN IGE: LEBANON
- RUBEN ABIMBOLA SAMUEL: ITALY
- AMB.ONAGA OGECHUKWU KINGSLEY: MOZAMBIQUE
- AMB.MAGAJI UMAR: DR CONGO
- AMB.MUHAMMAD SAIDU DAHIRU: INDIA
- AMB. ABDUSSALAM HABU ZAYYAD: DAKAR-SENEGAL
- AMB SHEHU ILU BARDE: ACCRA GHANA
- AMB.AMINU NASIR: ETHIOPIA
- ABUBAKAR MUSA MUSA: N’DJAMENA, CHAD
- AMB. HAIDARA MOHAMMED IDRIS: THE NETHERLANDS
- AMB.BAKO ADAMU UMAR: MOROCCO
- AMB. SULU GAMBARI OLATUNJI AHMED: MALAYSIA
- AMB.ROMATA MOHAMMED OMOBOLANLE: TANZANIA
- AMB. SHAGA JOHN SHAMAH: BOTSWANA
- SALAU, HAMZA MOHAMMED: IRAN
- AMB.IBRAHIM DANLAMI: KENYA
- IBRAHIM ADEOLA MOPELOLA: BENIN
- AMB.AYENI ADEBAYO EMMANUEL: BELGIUM
- AMB.AKANDE WAHAB ADEKOLA: SWITZERLAND
- AMB. AREWA (NEE ADEDOKUN) ESTHER: NAMIBIA
- AMB.GERGADI JOSEPH JOHN: GABON
- AMB. LUTHER OGBOMODE AYO-KALATA: SIERRA LEONE
- DANLADI YAKUBU NYAKU: SUDAN
- BELLO DOGON-DAJI HALIRU: THAILAND
The statement said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already received agréments from the UK and France for High Commissioner-designate, Aminu Dalhatu, and Amb. Ayo Oke, respectively. The nominations of the other 62 envoys-designate have been conveyed to the countries concerned, and the request for their agréments, in line with standard diplomatic practice, has been made, it added.
The delay in ambassadorial appointments has been criticised for impacting Nigeria’s diplomatic relations and international engagements.
