Federal Gov’t To Appoint Nigeria’s Ambassadors, High Commissioners Soon — Tuggar

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has announced that the Federal Government will soon appoint the long-awaited substantive ambassadors and high commissioners to fill Nigeria’s foreign missions, which have been without top officials for over a year.

Tuggar made the statement in Abuja on Thursday during the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing Series, where he highlighted Nigeria’s diplomatic achievements and its growing influence on the global stage. He assured that the names of the nominated senior envoys will be sent to the Senate for confirmation shortly. This suggests that President Bola Tinubu is carefully vetting the officials to ensure that the best candidates represent Nigeria during these challenging times.

Despite the absence of substantive heads of missions, Tuggar pointed out that Nigeria’s foreign missions have remained functional, maintaining essential operations. However, the prolonged vacancies have raised concerns that the country may risk losing influence and opportunities on the global stage.

Tuggar’s presentation, titled “From Passive to Active Global Engagement under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Leadership,” underscored Nigeria’s commitment to “Citizen Diplomacy.” He explained that this approach has not only enhanced the global image of Nigerian citizens but also bolstered confidence in the Nigerian passport. Citizen Diplomacy, he noted, involves advocating for better treatment of Nigerians abroad through high-level engagements and international partnerships based on the four key pillars of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda: Diplomacy, Development, Democracy, and Diaspora.

The 4Ds foreign policy objectives have opened new avenues for collaboration with other countries, facilitating investment opportunities for Nigeria and boosting its economy.

Regarding economic diplomacy, Tuggar highlighted significant international investments, including $14 billion facilitated by Indian investors across multiple sectors and €250 million secured for Nigerian businesses from the Netherlands. He also noted Nigeria’s success with its Eurobond, which was 300% oversubscribed, signaling strong global investor confidence.

Tuggar further emphasized Nigeria’s strategic agreements with countries like Germany, Saudi Arabia, China, and France, which have strengthened key sectors such as power, oil and gas, agriculture, and infrastructure. Notably, Nigeria has broken trade barriers, including the removal of tariffs on Nigerian cashews and nuts by China. The country has also made strides in agricultural trade, with the Joint Business Council (JBC) with Qatar enhancing trade relations.

In regional diplomacy, Tuggar pointed out Nigeria’s strengthened influence through President Tinubu’s leadership as Chairman of the Authority of Heads of States and Governments of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), addressing regional security and political stability. Additionally, the re-election of Ambassador Bankole Adeoye as the African Union (AU) Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security further solidified Nigeria’s leadership in continental security.

Tuggar concluded by stressing that Nigeria’s diplomatic engagements continue to break down barriers, foster investment, and strengthen the country’s global standing.