Amid ongoing delays in appointing ambassadors to oversee Nigeria’s diplomatic missions, the Federal Government disbursed approximately N14 billion to 16 foreign missions in July 2024.
This comes as Nigeria’s 109 global missions, which include 76 embassies, 22 high commissions, and 11 consulates, continue to operate without appointed ambassadors.
According to the PUNCH, the delays stem from President Bola Tinubu’s September 2023 decision to recall all career and non-career ambassadors, instructing them to return to Nigeria by October 31, 2023.
These ambassadors, appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2020, have not yet been replaced, leading to growing public concern over the effectiveness of Nigeria’s diplomatic representation.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar attributed the delay to financial and economic challenges, citing insufficient funding for the ministry.
Tuggar explained that appointing ambassadors without the necessary resources would be counterproductive, as the financial support for their travel and the operational needs of the missions abroad is critical.
Despite these challenges, records obtained from a civic tech platform tracking government expenditures, GovSpend, reveal that the government disbursed N13.7 billion for the personnel costs of 16 foreign missions in July 2024.
The funds were allocated to missions in key cities such as Washington, London, Paris, Beijing, and New York.
Former Nigerian ambassador to Singapore, Ogbole Ode, acknowledged the impact of funding shortages on ambassadorial appointments but noted that consulate-level heads of missions have been deployed to manage the day-to-day operations.
He also highlighted that the depreciation of the naira has increased the naira value of funds disbursed to these missions.
The situation underscores the ongoing challenges within Nigeria’s foreign service, as the government balances financial constraints with the need to maintain effective diplomatic engagement.
