$1bn Budget Gap Stalls Tinubu’s Ambassadorial Appointments, Delays Senate Submission Despite Completed Vetting

Naija247news – Abuja | April 12, 2025

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has completed the vetting of nominees to fill ambassadorial roles in Nigeria’s 109 foreign missions, yet the formal list of nominees is still withheld from the National Assembly, Naija247news can confirm.

The development comes nearly seven months after Nigeria recalled 83 ambassadors in a sweeping foreign policy overhaul that left the country without representation in key diplomatic outposts across Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Africa.

While the security screening and background checks of prospective envoys have been finalized, a presidency source familiar with the matter says the actual transmission to the Senate has been delayed by fiscal constraints and internal recalibration of the final nominee list.

“This isn’t just about appointments,” the source said. “It’s about whether we can support these missions. The Foreign Ministry is facing a funding crisis—close to $1 billion is needed to settle arrears, overhaul infrastructure, and reactivate Nigeria’s diplomatic footprint globally.”

Empty Missions, Dwindling Presence

Since the September 2023 recall, Nigeria has operated without permanent ambassadors, a situation analysts warn is weakening Nigeria’s global voice, reducing its ability to shape narratives, secure bilateral deals, and protect citizens abroad.

Out of the 109 missions, 76 are embassies, 22 are high commissions, and 11 are consulates, spanning continents from Washington and London to Beijing, New Delhi, and Pretoria.

Foreign policy experts have raised alarm over the vacuum in global engagement, particularly as other nations aggressively push their interests at multilateral forums like the UN, AU, ECOWAS, WTO, and OPEC.

“Nigeria is in diplomatic hibernation at a time it should be assertive,” said Dr. Tunde Ajayi, a lecturer in International Relations at the University of Lagos. “We’ve lost traction in discussions around regional peacekeeping, climate financing, and visa reciprocity.”

Presidency Weighs Cost, Politics

The delay also comes amid President Tinubu’s two-week working visit to France, where insiders say he is conducting a policy audit of his administration’s performance across the security, economic, and foreign affairs sectors.

The government’s hesitation to forward the list is partly due to internal scrutiny of potential backlash, especially in cases where controversial or political nominees have been suggested. Names such as Shehu Sani, Femi Fani-Kayode, and Reni Omokri have been rumored, although the presidency has yet to make any official confirmations.

According to top officials in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the real bottleneck is capital expenditure (CAPEX), not recurrent costs like salaries or allowances. “The missions need everything—renovations, security upgrades, vehicles, modern communication tools. Some embassies haven’t had reliable electricity or water in months,” one diplomat said.

“You can’t just send ambassadors into underfunded buildings with no operational budgets. It defeats the purpose,” a senior ministry source noted.

Senate Awaits Formal Transmission

Once transmitted, the nominees are expected to undergo screening by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, after which successful candidates will be inducted, oriented, and posted to respective missions. But without the president’s sign-off, the Senate remains idle on the matter.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar admitted last year that embassies were in decay when Tinubu took office.

“We met a situation where Foreign Affairs was not being funded like it should be,” he said. “There is no point in sending ambassadors if they can’t function. The president is aware, and he is working to ensure that it is done properly.”

Global Implications and Lost Opportunities

Nigeria’s diplomatic lull has real-world consequences. In Washington, the absence of a substantive ambassador means Nigeria lacks influence in shaping U.S.-Africa policy under the new administration. In trade circles, Nigeria risks being sidelined from post-AGOA (African Growth and Opportunity Act) opportunities, and Trump-era tariffs could return without vigorous lobbying.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s credit rating was recently upgraded by Fitch to “B”, citing reforms in the FX market and revenue collection. Observers argue that such positive momentum must be matched with robust diplomatic engagement to unlock trade, foreign direct investment (FDI), and international goodwill.

“You can’t run diplomacy on press releases,” one ex-envoy warned. “We need eyes, ears, and voice in every global capital right now.”

As Nigeria navigates multiple crises at home—from insecurity to inflation—its visibility and credibility abroad remain vital. With the Senate resuming soon, attention now turns to when—and if—the President will finally unveil his ambassadorial picks.

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Tags: Bola Tinubu, Ambassadorial Appointments, Nigeria Foreign Policy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, Diplomatic Missions, National Assembly, Capital Expenditure, Shehu Sani, Fani-Kayode, Reni Omokri, Naija247news, Nigeria’s Global Image, Nigeria Abroad, Fitch Rating, Nigeria Budget Deficit, Foreign Missions Funding

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