Olamilekan Abayomi
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of 65 ambassadors to various countries, including the UK, Mexico, Germany, Canada, and the USA. The list comprises 31 career diplomats and 34 non-career ambassadors, whose nominations were confirmed by the Nigerian Senate in December 2025.
The appointments are a significant diplomatic move, aiming to strengthen Nigeria’s relations with other countries and address long-standing vacancies at overseas missions. The nominees include notable figures such as Reno Omokri, Mahmood Yakubu, Femi Fani-Kayode, and Fatima Florence Ajimobi .
Aminu Dalhatu, a former ambassador to South Korea, has been appointed as the high commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom. Lateef Kayode Are, a retired colonel, has been appointed as the ambassador-designate to the United States of America. Ayodele Oke, a former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, has been appointed as the ambassador-designate to France .
The appointments also include other notable individuals such as Olufemi Pedro, a former deputy governor of Lagos State, who has been appointed as the ambassador-designate to Australia. Prof. Isaak Folorunso Adewole, a former minister of health, has been appointed as the ambassador-designate to Canada.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received agreements from the UK and France for the ambassadors assigned to these countries. The ministry will now commence the induction program for the ambassadors-designate and High Commissioners .
The appointments are part of President Tinubu’s efforts to fill critical diplomatic vacancies and strengthen Nigeria’s global presence. The president has urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to notify the governments of the countries about the ambassador-designates, in accordance with diplomatic procedures.
The Senate had earlier confirmed 64 ambassadorial nominees, including 34 career ambassadors and 30 non-career ambassadors and high commissioners. The confirmation followed the consideration and adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The deployment of the ambassadors is expected to further strengthen Nigeria’s bilateral relations and enhance the country’s global visibility and strategic engagement. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has stated that the ambassadors will assume duty in their respective countries of assignment in 2026 .
The appointments have been welcomed as a positive step towards strengthening Nigeria’s diplomatic efforts. The country’s diplomatic missions remain fully operational and effectively represented by seasoned foreign service officers, including experienced chargés d’affaires.
