By Parrot Newspaper 
FG Vetting Candidates for Ambassadorial Posts, 18 Months After Recall
By Parrot Newspaper
Eighteen months after President Bola Tinubu recalled all career and non-career ambassadors, the federal government has begun the process of selecting their replacements. According to a Reuters report, the vetting of candidates is currently underway, with background checks being conducted by intelligence agencies.
Sources familiar with the process confirm that relevant security and government agencies are screening the potential appointees, with findings shared across key offices in the presidency and legislature. This development signals a possible end to the prolonged diplomatic vacuum that has left several Nigerian embassies without substantive heads.
Delayed Appointments and Diplomatic Concerns
President Tinubu ordered the recall of all ambassadors in September 2023, barely six months into his tenure. Since then, consuls-general and chargés d’affaires have been overseeing diplomatic missions, but there has been no word on when substantive ambassadors would be appointed.
The prolonged delay has raised concerns among foreign diplomats and international stakeholders. While Nigeria has continued to receive foreign ambassadors and letters of credence from other countries, the absence of its own ambassadors in key foreign missions has been viewed as a setback in diplomatic relations.
Funding Challenges and the Way Forward
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, had previously attributed the delay in appointing new ambassadors to funding constraints. However, a government source told Reuters that the issue “is being resolved,” hinting that official appointments would be announced soon.
For 2025, the federal government has allocated N302.4 billion to its foreign missions, a budget that is expected to facilitate the full reactivation of Nigeria’s diplomatic corps.
As Nigerians await the formal announcement of new ambassadors, diplomatic experts have emphasized the importance of filling these positions with qualified and competent individuals who can effectively represent the country’s interests on the global stage.
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