The Senate on Tuesday confirmed the nomination of all career and non-career ambassadors forwarded by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with the exception of the nominee representing Yobe State, who reportedly passed away before confirmation.
The confirmation followed the consideration of the report submitted by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs after screening the nominees. Lawmakers adopted the committee’s recommendations during plenary, clearing the majority of the nominees to represent Nigeria in diplomatic missions across the world.
According to the Senate, all nominees met the constitutional and professional requirements for diplomatic postings, following a comprehensive screening process that examined their qualifications, experience, and understanding of Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives.
However, the Senate formally excluded the Yobe nomination from confirmation proceedings due to the death of the nominee, noting that a replacement is expected to be forwarded by the President at a later date.
The confirmation clears the way for Nigeria to fully staff several foreign missions that have operated without substantive ambassadors in recent years. Analysts say the move is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s diplomatic engagement, protect national interests abroad, and improve bilateral and multilateral relations.
Career ambassadors are drawn from Nigeria’s professional foreign service, while non-career ambassadors are political appointees, often selected based on experience, service, or strategic considerations.
During deliberations, senators urged the confirmed ambassadors to:
• uphold Nigeria’s national interest at all times,
• protect Nigerians in the diaspora,
• promote trade, investment and international cooperation,
• and project a positive image of the country globally.
The Senate also called for improved funding of Nigeria’s foreign missions to enable effective diplomatic operations.
Following Senate confirmation, the nominees are expected to receive letters of appointment and proceed for documentation, briefings and eventual deployment to their respective countries of assignment.
The Presidency is expected to submit a fresh nominee for Yobe State to fill the vacant ambassadorial slot.
The Senate’s confirmation of President Tinubu’s ambassadorial nominees marks a key milestone in strengthening Nigeria’s foreign policy machinery. With most diplomatic positions now filled, attention shifts to how the new ambassadors will advance Nigeria’s interests globally amid evolving international challenges.
