Storms may be gathering around several of President Bola Tinubu’s ambassador-designates as growing concerns emerge that host countries may reject some nominees due to the limited time left in the administration’s tenure.

Findings reveal that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is grappling with the challenge of securing agrément—the formal consent required from receiving states—amid fears that many countries insist on ambassadors serving a minimum tenure of one to two years.

With Nigeria’s next presidential election scheduled for February 2027 and Tinubu’s first term ending in May 2027, senior Presidency and foreign service officials disclosed that some host nations may be reluctant to accept envoys whose tenure would barely last months.

A highly placed foreign service official explained that countries such as India often insist on a reasonable diplomatic tenure tied to the lifespan of the sending administration.

“By the time agrément is granted, some of these ambassadors may have only a few months left. That is the major challenge we are trying to resolve,” the official said.

Under Article 4 of the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, receiving states must grant consent before any ambassador is accredited and are not obligated to provide reasons for rejecting a nominee.

Delay worsens diplomatic uncertainty

Career foreign service officers typically serve three-year tours, but Nigeria’s prolonged delay in appointing ambassadors has complicated the process.

In September 2023, barely four months into office, President Tinubu recalled both career and non-career ambassadors from 109 foreign missions, including embassies, high commissions and consulates, citing the need for improved efficiency in Nigeria’s foreign service.

The move left most Nigerian missions without substantive heads for over two years, with only Nigeria’s Permanent Representatives to the United Nations in New York and Geneva exempted, alongside the Ambassador to Niger Republic due to the political crisis there.

It was not until November 2025—more than 26 months later—that the President forwarded the first batch of ambassadorial nominees to the Senate.

So far, at least 67 nominees have been submitted, with confirmed postings including France, the United States and the United Kingdom, while others are expected to serve in China, India, UAE, Qatar, South Africa, and multilateral institutions such as the UN, UNESCO and African Union.

However, officials warn that the late nominations, lengthy screening process, mandatory retreats and background checks by host countries could delay deployment until August 2026, leaving some ambassadors with less than nine months in office.

Background checks and agrément delays
A foreign service source disclosed that some receiving states may delay responses, request replacements, or quietly stall approval based on background checks.

“Some countries may ignore the request for months. Others may ask for a replacement without explanation. It’s a long and delicate process,” the official said.

Presidency sources confirmed that the Federal Government would not announce postings publicly until agrément is secured, to avoid diplomatic embarrassment.

Experts: Host countries being pragmatic

Former Nigerian Ambassador to Singapore, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, said host countries considering Nigeria’s election timeline were acting pragmatically.

“Why accept letters of credence from an envoy whose principal has barely one year left? Elections can go either way, so they may delay granting agrément,” he said.

He described the administration’s delay in nominating ambassadors as a strategic error, noting that agrément requests are usually secured before postings are announced.

Political appointees most vulnerable

Former envoy to Algeria, Mohammed Mabdul, however, argued that outright rejection was unlikely among friendly nations but warned that political appointees faced greater risks than career diplomats.

“Career ambassadors can be redeployed anytime. But political appointees are expected to stay two to three years. With elections close, they may struggle to settle or make impact,” he said.

Nigeria’s foreign missions have remained largely without ambassadors since September 2023, prompting critics to warn of diplomatic stagnation and potential international isolation.

Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar had earlier blamed funding constraints, currency volatility and the administration’s economic reform focus for the prolonged delay.