By Gift Habib, ABUJA Nigeria
Nigeria, Africa’s most
populous nation and one of its largest economies, has now spent over 13 months
without ambassadors in 109 diplomatic missions worldwide.
The diplomatic vacuum has
raised serious concerns about the country’s standing in the global arena and
its capacity to navigate the increasingly complex international relations.
For more than a year, Nigeria
has lacked formal representation at the highest levels of diplomacy, leaving
the country at a disadvantage in engaging with global partners.
Following President Bola
Tinubu’s inauguration, a reassessment of foreign policy led to the recall of 83
ambassadors; both career and non-career from their posts in September 2023, but
the subsequent appointment of replacements has yet to occur.
The Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, had said the ambassadors served at the president’s
behest in their host nations and that it was the President’s “prerogative to
send or recall them from any country.”
The envoys were instructed to
return to Nigeria by October 31, marking a shift in diplomatic strategy and
suggesting that the government was looking to realign its foreign engagements
to better serve national interests.
However, more than a year
later, the anticipated appointments of new ambassadors have yet to materialise,
creating a diplomatic vacuum that has left the country’s missions leaderless
and its voice on the global stage weakened.
This prolonged diplomatic
vacuum echoes the delays seen during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s
administration, which took 17 to 20 months to establish ambassadorial
positions.
The implications of this
prolonged absence are far-reaching. At a time when global diplomacy is becoming
more intricate, Nigeria finds itself without the ability to fully engage with
other nations or participate in critical trade and security negotiations.
Ambassadors play an
indispensable role in representing their country’s interests abroad, managing
bilateral relations, and serving as key players in multilateral organisations.
Their absence means missed opportunities and a weakening of Nigeria’s influence
in global affairs.
While the Federal Government
has made some progress by appointing 12 consuls-general and five chargés
d’affaires to represent the country in 14 countries in April 2024, these
appointments fall short of filling the gap.
Consuls-general and chargés
d’affaires can handle routine administrative duties and oversee the day-to-day
operations of an embassy, but they do not possess the authority or diplomatic
weight to engage at the highest levels, such as with heads of state or critical
international negotiations.
The absence of full
ambassadors is a glaring omission at a time when Nigeria needs strong
representation more than ever.
This diplomatic void is not
just a procedural issue; it has real consequences for the nation’s global
influence, its ability to secure international investments, and its role in
shaping policies that affect the African continent and beyond.
On May 28, 2024, the Minister
of Foreign Affairs acknowledged the situation, citing a lack of funds as
the primary reason for the delay in appointing new ambassadors.
Few days later, the MFA’s
spokesperson, Amb. Eche Abu-Ode, said any new ambassadorial appointments will
depend on budget allocations. “I guess the funds may be included in the
supplementary budget, but for now, there is no clear way forward without funds,”
Abu-Ode stated.
The admission highlights a
troubling intersection between diplomacy and economics, with financial
constraints halting Nigeria’s global engagement.
The issue of funding
underscores deeper problems within Nigeria’s diplomatic apparatus. With no
clear timeline for when the budgetary issues will be resolved, the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs is left in a holding pattern.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s
international partners may interpret this prolonged inaction as a sign of
instability or disinterest in global affairs.
This perception can be
damaging, particularly for a country that relies on foreign investments and
international partnerships to fuel its economic growth.
A senior official in the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who spoke anonymously, voiced concern over the
lack of communication and direction from the government. “There is silence on
the issue. Nobody knows what’s going on,” the official remarked.
Diplomats and foreign policy
experts warn that Nigeria’s absence from the international stage could have
long-term consequences for its reputation.
In diplomacy, perception is
often as important as reality. A prolonged lack of ambassadors can signal
disorganisation or instability in the global community. Such a perception risks
alienating potential investors and partners, who may view the absence of
leadership as a sign that Nigeria is disengaging from international affairs.
In a world where nations are
vying for influence and economic partnerships, Nigeria’s inability to project
its voice and defend its interests could result in missed opportunities for
collaboration, trade, and investment. Each day that passes without ambassadors
in place represents another lost opportunity to advance Nigeria’s national
interests on the global stage.
Many within Nigeria’s
diplomatic community are calling for immediate reforms to address the country’s
diplomatic challenges.
A retired Nigerian Ambassador
to Mexico, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, voiced his concerns over the prolonged absence of
ambassadors.
“That diplomatic missions are
without substantive heads for a short period is widely acceptable. But their
absence over a year leaves so much to be desired, especially against the
backdrop of the Ministry’s funding challenges,” he said.
Amedu-Obe’s concerns reflect
the broader sentiment within the country’s foreign service, where the lack of
principal envoys is seen as damaging to the country’s international reputation.
Similarly, a retired Consul to
Cameroon and Delegate to the World Expo and Economic Development Centre in
Paris, Amb. Rasheed Akinkuolie echoed the need for reform.
“It is not the best option not
to have resident ambassadors at post. Chargés d’affaires may not be able to
relate with host governments at the highest level, which includes heads of
state. A chargé d’affaires can generally only relate with foreign ministries
and other officials,” Akinkuolie explained.
He also expressed concern that
host governments might begin to question why Nigeria has not replaced its
recalled ambassadors, potentially seeing the prolonged absence as a sign of
instability.
He noted that diplomatic
missions should be funded from dedicated dollar accounts at the Central Bank of
Nigeria to ensure steady financial support for operations abroad. He also
emphasised the need for a more streamlined process in deploying ambassadors,
suggesting that the MFA could benefit from a Minister of State, drawn from
among retired diplomats, to help manage the workload.
He urged the government to
prioritise ambassadorial appointments and ensure that Nigeria’s missions abroad
are properly funded and staffed.
“The minister is overburdened
and overworked. The MFA urgently needs a Minister of State, who should be drawn
from among retired Permanent Secretaries of the Ministry or Ambassadors. This
will help sort out the grey areas, which may be preventing the swift posting of
Ambassadors.
