President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has authorised the posting of 65 ambassadors-designate to Nigeria’s diplomatic missions across the globe, including the United Nations.
The development was disclosed in a statement released on Friday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who noted that the list comprises 31 career diplomats and 34 non-career ambassadors. According to him, the envoys had earlier been confirmed by the Senate in December.
Among the non-career nominees assigned to foreign missions are Grace Bent to Togo, Ita Enang to South Africa, Victor Ikpeazu to Spain and Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu to Israel.
Others include Mahmud Yakubu, who has been posted to Qatar; Reno Omokri to Mexico; Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas to the Philippines; Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau to China; Olufemi Pedro to Australia; and Lateef Kayode Are to the United States.
Also on the list are Joseph Sola Iji to Russia, Jimoh Ibrahim who will serve as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Femi Fani-Kayode to Germany, Isaac Folorunso Adewole to Canada and Ayodele Oke to France.
Further appointments among the non-career envoys include Yakubu N. Gambo to Saudi Arabia, Nora Ladi Daduut to South Korea, Joe Okocha to Ireland, Kulu Haruna Abubakar to Tunisia and Jerry Samuel Manwe to Trinidad and Tobago.
In the career diplomatic category, the President approved the deployment of ambassadors including Nwabiola Ezenwa Chukwumeka to Côte d’Ivoire, Maimuna Ibrahim Besto to Niger Republic, Monica Okwuchukwu Enebeli to São Tomé and Príncipe and Mohammed Mahmud Lele to Algeria.
Other career diplomats posted abroad are Ahmed Mohammed Monguno to Egypt, Jane Adams Michael to Jamaica, Alexandra Clark-Omeru to Zambia, Geoffrey Lioma David Chima to Mali and Yvonne Ehinosen Odumah to Equatorial Guinea.
Additional postings include Segun Ige to Lebanon, Ruben Abimbola Samuel to Italy, Ogechukwu Kingsley Onaga to Mozambique, Umar Magaji to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Muhammad Saidu Dahiru to India.
Others listed are Abdussalam Habu Zayyad to Senegal, Shehu Ilu Barde to Ghana, Aminu Nasir to Ethiopia, Abubakar Musa Musa to Chad, Haidara Mohammed Idris to the Netherlands and Bako Adamu Umar to Morocco.
The list also features Sulu Gambari Olatunji Ahmed to Malaysia, Romata Mohammed Omobolanle to Tanzania, John Shamah Shaga to Botswana, Hamza Mohammed Salau to Iran and Ibrahim Danlami to Kenya.
Others include Adeola Mopelola Ibrahim to Benin Republic, Emmanuel Adebayo Ayeni to Belgium, Wahab Adekola Akande to Switzerland, Esther Arewa to Namibia, Joseph John Gergadi to Gabon, Luther Ogbomode Ayo-Kalata to Sierra Leone, Danladi Yakubu Nyaku to Sudan and Haliru Bello Dogon-Daji to Thailand.
The presidency further revealed that the United Kingdom has granted agrément to Nigeria’s High Commissioner-designate, Aminu Dalhatu, while France has approved the appointment of Ambassador Ayo Oke.
According to the statement, the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs has transmitted the nominations of the remaining envoys to their respective host countries for the required diplomatic approval known as agrément.
Tinubu also directed the ministry to commence an induction programme for the ambassadors-designate and high commissioners ahead of their official deployment to their respective postings.
