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
1. SEN. GRACE BENT: TOGO
2. SEN. ITA ENANG: SOUTH AFRICA
3. IKPEAZU VICTOR: SPAIN
4. NKECHI LINDA UFOCHUKWU: ISRAEL
5. MAHMUD YAKUBU: QATAR
6. PAUL OGA ADIKWU: THE VATICAN CITY (HOLY SEE)
7. VICE ADMIRAL IBOK-ETE EKWE IBAS: THE PHILIPPINES
8. RENO OMOKRI: MEXICO
9. HON. ABASI BRAIMAH: HUNGARY
10. MRS. ERELU ANGELA ADEBAYO: PORTUGAL
11. BARR. OLUMILUA OLUWAYIMIKA AYOTUNWA: JAPAN
12. HON. UGWUANYI IFEANYI LAWRENCE: GREECE
13. BARR. CHIOMA PRISCILLA OHAKIM: POLAND
14. AMINU DALHATU: UNITED KINGDOM
15. LT. GEN ABDULRAHMAN BELLO DAMBAZAU: CHINA
16. HON. TASIU MUSA MAIGARI: THE GAMBIA
17. MRS OLUFEMI PEDRO: AUSTRALIA
18. BARR. MUHAMMED UBANDOMA ALIYU: ARGENTINA
19. LATEEF KAYODE ARE: USA
20. AMB. JOSEPH SOLA IJI: RUSSIA
21. SEN. JIMOH IBRAHIM: UN PERM. REP. NEW YORK
22. FEMI FANI KAYODE: GERMANY
23. PROF. ISAAK FOLORUNSO ADEWOLE: CANADA
24. MRS AJIMOBI FATIMA FLORENCE: AUSTRIA
25. MRS. LOLA AKANDE: SWEDEN
26. AYODELE OKE: FRANCE
27. YAKUBU N. GAMBO: SAUDI ARABIA
28. SEN.. NORA LADI DADUUT: SOUTH KOREA
29. BARR. ONUEZE CHUKWUJIKA JOE OKOCHA SAN: IRELAND
30. DR. KULU HARUNA ABUBAKAR: TUNISIA
31. HON. JERRY SAMUEL MANWE: TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
CAREER AMBASSADORS/HIGH COMMISSIONERS-DESIGNATE
NAME MISSIONS
1. AMB. NWABIOLA EZENWA CHUKWUMEKA: COTE D’IV/OIRE
2. BESTO MAIMUNA IBRAHIM: NIGER
3. MONICA OKWUCHUKWU ENEBECHI: SAO TOME & PRINCIPE
4. AMB. MOHAMMED MAHMUD LELE: ALGERIA
5. ENDONI SYNDOPH PAEBI: BURKINA FASO
6. AHMED MOHAMMED MONGUNO: EGYPT
7. AMB.JANE ADAMS (NEE OKON) MICHAEL: JAMAICA
8. AMB. CLARK-OMERU ALEXANDRA: ZAMBIA
9. CHIMA GEOGGREY LIOMA DAVID: MALI
10. AMB. ODUMAH YVONNE EHINOSEN: EQUATORIAL-GUINEA
11. AMB WASA SEGUN IGE: LEBANON
12. RUBEN ABIMBOLA SAMUEL: ITALY
13. AMB.ONAGA OGECHUKWU KINGSLEY: MOZAMBIQUE
14. AMB.MAGAJI UMAR: DR CONGO
15. AMB.MUHAMMAD SAIDU DAHIRU: INDIA
16. AMB. ABDUSSALAM HABU ZAYYAD: DAKAR-SENEGAL
17. AMB SHEHU ILU BARDE: ACCRA GHANA
18. AMB.AMINU NASIR: ETHIOPIA
19. ABUBAKAR MUSA MUSA: N’DJAMENA, CHAD
20. AMB. HAIDARA MOHAMMED IDRIS: THE NETHERLANDS
21. AMB.BAKO ADAMU UMAR: MOROCCO
22. AMB. SULU GAMBARI OLATUNJI AHMED: MALAYSIA
23. AMB.ROMATA MOHAMMED OMOBOLANLE: TANZANIA
24. AMB. SHAGA JOHN SHAMAH: BOTSWANA
25. SALAU, HAMZA MOHAMMED: IRAN
26. AMB.IBRAHIM DANLAMI: KENYA
27. IBRAHIM ADEOLA MOPELOLA: BENIN
28. AMB.AYENI ADEBAYO EMMANUEL: BELGIUM
29. AMB.AKANDE WAHAB ADEKOLA: SWITZERLAND
30. AMB. AREWA (NEE ADEDOKUN) ESTHER: NAMIBIA
31. AMB.GERGADI JOSEPH JOHN: GABON
32. AMB. LUTHER OGBOMODE AYO-KALATA: SIERRA LEONE
33. DANLADI YAKUBU NYAKU: SUDAN
34. 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.