President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the postings of a combined 65 ambassadors comprising 31 career and 34 non-career envoys to various countries and multilateral bodies, including the United Nations, the Presidency announced on Thursday.
The approval, communicated through a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, follows the Senate’s confirmation of the ambassadors-designate in December 2025.
“Former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has been assigned to Madrid as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain.”
Among the most prominent appointees is former Abia State Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, who has been assigned to Madrid as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain. Ikpeazu, who governed Abia State from 2015 to 2023, was among the 34 non-career ambassadors approved in the postings.
Other high-profile non-career nominees include former Inspector-General of Police and retired Lieutenant-General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, designated for Beijing, China; popular political commentator Reno Omokri, assigned to Mexico City; and former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode, named as ambassador to Germany. Former professor and one-time Minister of Health, Isaac Folorunso Adewole, will take up posting in Ottawa, Canada.
Senator Jimoh Ibrahim has been designated as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, while Senator Grace Bent heads to Lomé, Togo, and Senator Ita Enang to Pretoria, South Africa.
Career Ambassadors Round Out the List
The 31 career ambassador postings cover a broad sweep of Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Notable deployments include Ambassador Mohammed Saidu Dahiru to New Delhi, India; Ambassador Sulu Gambari Olatunji Ahmed to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Ambassador Ayeni Adebayo Emmanuel to Brussels, Belgium the seat of the European Union.
Several African postings were also confirmed, with appointments covering Abuja’s key regional partners including Ghana, Senegal, Kenya, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
UK and France Grant Early Agrément
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that it has already received agrément the host country’s formal acceptance of a foreign envoy from the United Kingdom for High Commissioner-designate Ambassador Aminu Dalhatu, who is designated for London. Similarly, France has granted agrément for Ambassador Ayodele Oke, assigned to Paris.
The Ministry said it has conveyed the nominations of the remaining 63 designees to all the countries concerned and formally requested their agréments in accordance with standard diplomatic practice under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
Tinubu Orders Immediate Induction Programme
President Tinubu has directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to immediately commence an induction programme for all the ambassadors-designate and High Commissioners. The directive signals that the Presidency intends to move swiftly on deployment, given that the Senate confirmation process was completed more than two months ago.
Nigeria currently operates embassies and high commissions in over 100 countries. The fresh round of postings is expected to reinvigorate the country’s diplomatic presence at a time of heightened attention to foreign investment, diaspora engagement and regional security cooperation.
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