Why Tinubu Has Not Yet Appointed Ambassadors – Foreign Minister
Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, has cited financial constraints as the primary reason for the delay in appointing new ambassadors for Nigeria. During a ministerial sectoral briefing on Tuesday in Abuja, Tuggar explained that the current administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is grappling with significant economic challenges.
On September 2, 2023, President Tinubu recalled all career and non-career ambassadors from Nigeria’s global diplomatic missions, including embassies, high commissions, and consulates. Nigeria maintains 109 diplomatic missions worldwide, consisting of 76 embassies, 22 high commissions, and 11 consulates.
The absence of ambassadors has sparked concerns about Nigeria’s diplomatic presence and the operational effectiveness of its foreign missions. Tuggar emphasized that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been underfunded, making it impractical to appoint ambassadors without the necessary financial support for their travel and mission operations.
“We encountered a situation where the Foreign Affairs Ministry was not receiving adequate funding. Sending out ambassadors without the resources to support their travel and mission activities is pointless,” Tuggar stated.
Despite these financial hurdles, Tuggar assured that the government is actively working on resolving the issue. “The President is addressing the situation, and appointments will be made in due course,” he added.
