Nigeria’s newly appointed ambassadors will formally assume duty in their host countries in 2026, the Federal Government has said.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this on Monday, December 22, while addressing journalists at an end‑of‑year press briefing in Abuja.
He explained that the envoys would proceed to their various missions after completing all deployment processes, following their recent screening and approval by the National Assembly.
“In 2026, again, our newly appointed ambassadors will take up their posts in their countries of assignment. Of course, their clearance and confirmation have just been made by the National Assembly,” Idris said.
He noted that the appointments came in response to persistent calls from Nigerians for the government to fill long‑vacant ambassadorial positions.
“Before this time, we have had cries, complaints and agitations for ambassadors to be put on their posts. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has fulfilled that,” the minister stated.
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Idris added that while some aspects of the posting process had already been concluded, outstanding steps would be finalised next year.
“For the remaining part, that will be carried out in 2026,” he said, stressing that the deployments are expected to deepen Nigeria’s bilateral ties and strengthen its presence on the global stage.
Last week, the Senate confirmed 64 ambassadorial nominees submitted by President Tinubu, after adopting the report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, which declared all the nominees suitable.
That confirmation came just two days after the Senate had cleared three non‑career nominees — Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa) and Emmanuel Ayodele Oke (Oyo) — bringing the total number of confirmed ambassadors to 67.
The full list comprises 34 career ambassadors and high commissioners and 30 non‑career appointees.
The approvals are a major step towards refilling Nigeria’s diplomatic posts and repositioning its foreign missions, following the mass recall of ambassadors in 2023 that left many missions without substantive heads for months.