Reason We Are Delaying Appointment of Ambassadors – Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has explained that the delay in appointing Nigeria’s ambassadors stems from the difficulty of balancing competing political and national interests while finalizing the nomination process.

Speaking at the State House in Abuja on Tuesday, Tinubu told a delegation from The Buhari Organisation (TBO), led by former Nasarawa State Governor, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, that the task has been far from straightforward.

“I appreciate your patience. There are still ambassadorial slots left, but finding the right blend of names is more complex than it may seem,” the President said. 

“I can’t appoint everyone who desires to serve, but we are working carefully to ensure fairness.”

Nigeria has been without appointed ambassadors since September 2023, when Tinubu recalled more than 83 career and non-career envoys. 

The move was part of a wider review of the country’s foreign policy, guided by what the administration describes as the “4Ds”, Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora.

In the months that followed, several unofficial lists of potential nominees surfaced, yet no formal announcement came from the Presidency.

In April, Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar confirmed that his ministry had already submitted names to the President. 

However, he explained that Tinubu’s focus on economic reforms and other urgent national issues had pushed the ambassadorial appointments further down the priority list.

Tuggar also pointed out that funding challenges, including sharp currency fluctuations and conversion difficulties, had worsened the operational state of Nigeria’s 109 foreign missions worldwide, making the absence of ambassadors even more significant.

Tinubu’s administration has implemented sweeping economic changes since taking office. 

These include the removal of petrol subsidies on May 29, 2023, and the floating of the naira shortly afterwards, both measures triggering a sharp devaluation of the national currency and placing additional strain on government resources.

Despite the setbacks, the President assured that the process is ongoing, with a final list expected once all necessary consultations and balancing acts are complete.