Nigeria’s newly appointed ambassadors will assume duty in their respective countries in 2026 after completing all clearance and confirmation processes, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said.
Idris disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists at the end-of-year press conference held in Abuja.
According to him, the deployment of the ambassadors will help strengthen Nigeria’s bilateral relations, boost the country’s global visibility and deepen strategic engagement with the international community.
“In 2026, our newly appointed ambassadors will take up their posts in their countries of assignment. Their clearance and confirmation by the National Assembly have already been concluded,” the minister said.
He explained that the appointments were made in response to widespread public calls for Nigeria to fill long-vacant diplomatic positions abroad.
“For some time, there were cries, complaints and agitations over the absence of ambassadors in our foreign missions.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has listened to those concerns and acted accordingly,” Idris stated.
The minister noted that while key stages of the deployment process had been completed, some procedural steps would be finalised next year.
“Some parts of the process have been concluded, and the remaining aspects will be carried out in 2026,” he added.
Idris stressed that the posting of ambassadors would enhance Nigeria’s diplomatic engagements across political, economic and cultural sectors, while also advancing national interests globally.
Last week, the Senate confirmed 64 ambassadorial nominees forwarded by President Tinubu, following the adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, which said all nominees were screened and found suitable for appointment.
The confirmations included both career and non-career diplomats.
Three additional non-career nominees were approved earlier, bringing the total number of confirmed ambassadors to 67.
In all, the list comprises 34 career ambassadors and high commissioners, and 30 non-career ambassadors and high commissioners.
The confirmations mark a significant step towards repositioning Nigeria’s foreign missions, which have operated without full ambassadorial representation since the mass recall of envoys in 2023.
