President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the posting of 65 ambassadors to Nigeria’s diplomatic missions across the world, including 31 career diplomats and 34 non-career appointees.
The announcement was contained in a State House statement issued on Friday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, the envoys were earlier confirmed by the Nigerian Senate in December and have now been assigned to various countries and international organisations, including the United Nations.
Non-career ambassadors
Among the prominent political and public figures appointed are Femi Fani-Kayode, posted to Germany; Reno Omokri to Mexico; former interior minister Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau to China; and businessman-politician Jimoh Ibrahim as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
Others include former Lagos Deputy Governor Olufemi Pedro to Australia; former Minister of Health Isaac Folorunso Adewole to Canada; former DSS Director-General Ayodele Oke to France; and former security chief Lateef Kayode Are to the United States.
Other non-career postings include:
Grace Bent – Togo
Ita Enang – South Africa
Ikpeazu Victor – Spain
Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu – Israel
Mahmoud Yakubu – Qatar
Paul Oga Adikwu – Vatican City
Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas – Philippines
Abasi Braimah – Hungary
Erelu Angela Adebayo – Portugal
Barr. Olumilua Oluwayimika Ayotunwa – Japan
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi – Greece
Chioma Priscilla Ohakim – Poland
Aminu Dalhatu – United Kingdom
Tasiu Musa Maigari – Gambia
Muhammed Ubandoma Aliyu – Argentina
Amb. Joseph Sola Iji – Russia
Fatima Florence Ajimobi – Austria
Lola Akande – Sweden
Yakubu N. Gambo – Saudi Arabia
Nora Ladi Daduut – South Korea
Onueze Chukwujika Joe Okocha – Ireland
Kulu Haruna Abubakar – Tunisia
Jerry Samuel Manwe – Trinidad and Tobago
Career ambassadors
The career diplomats posted to missions include:
Nwabiola Ezenwa Chukwumeka – Côte d’Ivoire
Besto Maimuna Ibrahim – Niger Republic
Monica Okwuchukwu Enebebchi – São Tomé and Príncipe
Mohammed Mahmud Lele – Algeria
Endoni Syndoph Paebi – Burkina Faso
Ahmed Mohammed Monguno – Egypt
Jane Adams Michael – Jamaica
Clark-Omeru Alexandra – Zambia
Chima Geoffrey Lioma David – Mali
Odumah Yvonne Ehinosen – Equatorial Guinea
Wasa Segun Ige – Lebanon
Ruben Abimbola Samuel – Italy
Onaga Ogechukwu Kingsley – Mozambique
Magaji Umar – DR Congo
Muhammad Saidu Dahiru – India
Abdussalam Habu Zayyad – Senegal
Shehu Ilu Barde – Ghana
Aminu Nasir – Ethiopia
Abubakar Musa Musa – Chad
Haidara Mohammed Idris – Netherlands
Bako Adamu Umar – Morocco
Sulu Gambari Olatunji Ahmed – Malaysia
Romata Mohammed Omobolanle – Tanzania
Shaga John Shamah – Botswana
Salau Hamza Mohammed – Iran
Ibrahim Danlami – Kenya
Ibrahim Adeola Mopelola – Benin Republic
Ayeni Adebayo Emmanuel – Belgium
Akande Wahab Adekola – Switzerland
Arewa Esther – Namibia
Gergadi Joseph John – Gabon
Luther Ogbomode Ayo-Kalata – Sierra Leone
Danladi Yakubu Nyaku – Sudan
Bello Dogon-Daji Haliru – Thailand
The presidency noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already received diplomatic approval (agrément) from the United Kingdom for Ambassador Aminu Dalhatu and from France for Ambassador Ayodele Oke.
The ministry has also forwarded the nominations of the remaining envoys to their host countries for diplomatic consent.
President Tinubu further directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to immediately begin induction programmes for the ambassadors-designate and high commissioners ahead of their deployment to their respective missions.