President Bola Tinubu is close to completing the long-delayed appointment of ambassadors to Nigeria’s foreign missions, following months of complaints about the country’s limited diplomatic representation abroad.

According to a report by The Punch, senior officials in the Presidency said the President has ordered a final review of the proposed ambassadorial list after discovering that several earlier nominees are no longer eligible. Some nominees reportedly died, retired, or had less than a year left in service, prompting the need for replacements.

The newspaper cited officials who explained that although the Senate had already screened the original nominees, the list was returned to the Presidency for an update to reflect individuals still available and qualified for deployment.

Security clearances had been completed months earlier, but changes in the nominees’ status — including ill health and new job appointments — meant the list required fresh verification, The Punch reported.

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The delays stretch back to Tinubu’s decision in September 2023 to recall all ambassadors from Nigeria’s 109 foreign missions as part of a broad diplomatic restructuring. Since then, most missions have been overseen by chargés d’affaires, a situation that career diplomats say limits Nigeria’s influence, particularly during sensitive negotiations.

Foreign service officials quoted in the report noted that ambassador-level engagement is often essential, especially as Nigeria navigates heightened diplomatic demands.

The renewed push to formalise the appointments comes amid tension with Washington following former U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent threats of military action over disputed claims of Christian persecution in Nigeria. While officials told the newspaper that the absence of ambassadors did not directly cause the diplomatic flare-up, they acknowledged that communication could have been smoother with envoys in place.

The Punch also reported that Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar is expected to meet with the President at the State House today (Tuesday), with the discussion believed to include the ambassadorial list.

In April, it was reported that funding constraints had contributed to the delay, with over $1bn required to settle arrears, rehabilitate embassies and replace ageing mission infrastructure.

Tinubu has previously acknowledged the difficulty of balancing political expectations with professional considerations in diplomatic appointments. With cleanup now underway, officials quoted in the report said the final list could be made public once the President gives his approval.