Ambassadorial List Ready for Senate Review After DSS Clearance
The Federal Government has completed the vetting process for nominees to fill ambassadorial positions in Nigeria’s 109 foreign missions, including 76 embassies, 22 high commissions, and 11 consulates across the globe.
Security and background checks on the nominees were finalized by the Department of State Services (DSS) and other relevant agencies. However, President Bola Tinubu has yet to transmit the consolidated list to the National Assembly, The PUNCH has confirmed.
Sources within the presidency disclosed that the list was expected earlier this week, but the President, who is currently on a two-week working visit to Paris, France, has delayed submission. According to Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the retreat in Paris is meant for a mid-term performance review and strategic planning ahead of the administration’s second anniversary.
“The DSS checks are done,” a senior official stated anonymously. “We were expecting the names by Monday or Tuesday, but there’s been a delay from the President’s end.”
This development comes months after the September 2023 recall of over 83 career and non-career ambassadors as part of President Tinubu’s reassessment of Nigeria’s foreign policy under his 4Ds framework: Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora.
Though the list was reviewed during the 2023 Yuletide season, sources noted that a $1 billion funding gap for foreign service operations—including salaries, embassy renovations, vehicle replacements, and other capital expenditures—contributed to the delay.
An official familiar with the situation explained: “It’s not just about paying the ambassadors. The real challenge is funding capital projects across our missions abroad.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar had previously attributed the slow pace of appointments to poor funding, saying: “There’s no point in sending out ambassadors if we don’t have the resources to support their work effectively.”
The ambassadorial list includes both career diplomats and political appointees. After presidential nomination, the names are submitted to the Senate, where the Committee on Foreign Affairs conducts vetting interviews. Once cleared, the full Senate votes on confirmation.
Confirmed nominees then participate in an orientation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before being issued Letters of Credence to be presented to the head of state in their host country. Only then do they officially assume diplomatic duties.
A foreign service official suggested that President Tinubu is hesitant to finalize appointments, preferring instead to channel available funds toward domestic priorities.
“There’s a lot of pressure—from the diplomatic community, the diaspora, and stakeholders—but the President feels the funds may be better spent on pressing reforms at home,” the source said. “It will happen, but not immediately.”
Presidency officials also indicated that last-minute adjustments to the list are being made to avoid future embarrassment, particularly if nominees decline their appointments.
Commenting on the delay, Onanuga said: “The ambassadorial list includes both political and career appointments. There are still internal processes to be completed before it’s sent to the National Assembly.”
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Ambassadorial List Ready for Senate Review After DSS Clearance