Four ambassadorial nominations approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have encountered different hurdles, delaying the completion of Nigeria’s latest diplomatic deployment, even as 65 other ambassador-designates have secured the mandatory diplomatic clearance, known as agrément, from their host countries.
The outstanding nominations involve former presidential spokesperson Reno Omokri, who is awaiting the approval of the Mexican government following his nomination as Nigeria’s ambassador to Mexico, and Olumilua Oluwayimika Ayotunwa, whose appointment to Japan is still undergoing diplomatic processing with the Japanese authorities.
The other two unresolved appointments arose from circumstances unrelated to diplomatic clearance.
Former senator Grace Bent declined her nomination as Nigeria’s ambassador to Togo before diplomatic papers were forwarded to the host country, while career diplomat Mohammed Mahmud Lele, who had been designated ambassador to Algeria, died before assuming office.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed the development in a statement issued on Saturday by its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, stating that agrément had been secured for 65 of the 69 ambassadorial nominees approved by President Tinubu.
According to the ministry, discussions with the governments of Mexico and Japan remain active, with assurances from both countries that the approval process is progressing and that formal consent would be communicated in due course.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to assure Nigerians and international stakeholders that it is actively engaging the relevant authorities in both countries and is confident that the outstanding agréments will be conveyed in due course,” Ebienfa said.
The ministry explained that Grace Bent’s nomination never reached the diplomatic stage because she formally declined the appointment before any request for agrément was transmitted to the Government of Togo.
It also confirmed that Mohammed Mahmud Lele died on April 19 in Ankara, Turkey, after a prolonged illness, leaving the Algerian mission vacant before he could assume duty. It added that the process of selecting a replacement has commenced.
In diplomatic practice, agrément is the formal consent granted by a receiving state before an ambassador-designate can be posted to that country. It is a confidential process governed by international diplomatic convention, and no envoy can present Letters of Credence or formally assume office until the host government communicates its approval. Although such approvals are generally routine, the duration varies from one country to another depending on internal procedures and diplomatic consultations.
The ministry said the successful conclusion of the agrément process for the remaining 65 nominees represents a significant step towards restoring Nigeria’s diplomatic presence across strategic missions, with many of the ambassadors already assuming duty or preparing to present their Letters of Credence to their host Heads of State.
President Tinubu had approved the appointment of 69 ambassadors as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s foreign missions after many embassies and high commissions operated for an extended period without substantive heads of mission.
The nominees, comprising both career and non-career diplomats, were subsequently screened and confirmed by the Senate before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs commenced the process of seeking agrément from their respective host governments.
The ministry expressed optimism that with the expected approvals from Mexico and Japan, and fresh nominations for the Togo and Algeria missions, the country’s latest ambassadorial deployment would soon be fully completed.