The Federal Government has confirmed that several countries, including the United Kingdom, France and the United States, have granted ‘agrément’ to Nigeria’s ambassadorial nominees, signalling progress in efforts to fill long-vacant diplomatic positions. According to the ministry, the countries that have granted approval include the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Ireland, Qatar, the Republic of Benin, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Senegal and Sierra Leone. The development follows a prolonged period during which Nigeria operated without substantive ambassadors in several foreign missions under President Bola Tinubu. In a move to address the gap, the Presidency forwarded a list of 65 ambassadorial nominees to the National Assembly in late 2025. Although the nominees were screened in December, their deployment remains subject to receiving agrément from host countries.

Source: Punch March 31, 2026 08:51 UTC