March 6, 2026 | SUNTV Global
In a move already stirring debate, President Bola Tinubu’s administration is preparing to submit a new list of ambassadorial nominees to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs next week. Sources say the plan heavily favors political appointees for high-profile postings abroad, while career diplomats are largely assigned to African countries.
According to insiders, nearly 95% of career ambassadors are slated for African nations, with political appointees being positioned in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas. Critics argue this approach sidelines experienced diplomats at a time when Nigeria’s foreign relations are under intense global scrutiny.
“What a questionable strategy,” said a government insider. “At a time when Nigeria is closely watched by global leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, it would make more sense to deploy seasoned diplomats to strategic international posts rather than rewarding political loyalty.”
Notably absent from the emerging list are two high-profile Tinubu supporters: former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode and former Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri. Rumors suggest Omokri may be posted to Spain and Fani-Kayode to Germany once the list is finalized.
Career diplomats reportedly feel marginalized, concerned that their expertise is being underutilized in less influential postings, while political allies occupy the globe’s key capitals. “Diplomacy has never been a major focus of this administration,” said one source, highlighting the timing of the appointments as particularly ill-advised given Nigeria’s elevated international visibility.
Yet, some former diplomats defend the President’s prerogative. Ogbole Amedu Ode, ex-ambassador to Mexico and Singapore, said the President has the final say on appointments and that “Africa is the centrepiece of Nigeria’s foreign policy,” explaining the rationale behind assigning most career diplomats to the continent.
Emerging Ambassadorial List
- Amb. Odumah Yvonne Ehinosen – Malabo, Equatorial Guinea
- Amb. Nwabiola Ezenwa Chukwumeka – Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
- Besto Maimuna Ibrahim – Niamey, Niger
- Monica Okwuchukwu Enebechi – Sao Tome, STP
- Amb. Mohammed Mahmud Lele – Algiers, Algeria
- Endoni Syndoph Paebi – Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- Ahmed Mohammed Monguno – Cairo, Egypt
- Amb. Jane Adams (nee Okon) Michael (F) – Kingston, Jamaica
- Amb. Clark-Omeru Alexandra (F) – Lusaka, Zambia
- Chima Geoffrey Lioma David – Bamako, Mali
- Amb. Wasa Segun Ige – Beirut, Lebanon
- Amb. Ayeni Adebayo Emmanuel – Rome, Italy
- Amb. Onaga Ogechukwu Kinsley – Maputo, Mozambique
- Amb. Magaji Umar – Kinshasa, DR Congo
- Amb. Muhammad Saidu Dahiru – New Delhi, India
- Amb. Abdussalam Habu Zayyad – Dakar, Senegal
- Amb. Shehu Ilu Barde – Accra, Ghana
- Amb. Aminu Nasir – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Abubakar Musa Musa – N’Djamena, Chad
- Amb. Haidara Mohammed Idris – The Hague, Netherlands
- Amb. Bako Adamu Umar – Rabat, Morocco
- Amb. Sulu Gambari Olatunji Ahmed – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Amb. Romata Mohammed Omobolanle (F) – Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
- Amb. Shaga John Shamah – Gaborone, Botswana
- Sallau, Hamza Mohammed – Tehran, Iran
- Amb. Ibrahim Danlami – Nairobi, Kenya
- Ibrahim Adeola Mopelola (F) – Cotonou, Benin
- Ruben Abimbola Samuel (F) – Brussels, Belgium
- Amb. Akande Wahab Adekola – Berne, Switzerland
- Amb. Arewa (nee Adedokun) Esther (F) – Windhoek, Namibia
- Amb. Gergadi Joseph John – Libreville, Gabon
- Amb. Luther Ogbomode Ayo-Kalata (F) – Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Danladi Yakubu Nyaku – Khartoum, Sudan
- Bello Dogon-Daji Haliru – Bangkok, Thailand
The upcoming ambassadorial list marks a controversial chapter in Nigeria’s foreign service, raising questions about the balance between merit-based appointments and political considerations.
