PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved the posting of four ambassador-designates to strategic foreign missions in the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Turkey, marking the first phase of ambassadorial deployments following the Senate’s confirmation of nominees late last year.
The approval was confirmed in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria late on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, President Tinubu approved the posting of Ambassador Emmanuel Ayodele Oke as Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to France, and Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (rtd) as ambassador-designate to the United States of America.
Also cleared for deployment is Ambassador Aminu Dalhatu, a former Nigerian ambassador to South Korea, who has been appointed as the High Commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom.
In addition, Usman Isa Dakingari Suleiman, a former governor of Kebbi State, has been approved as Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Turkey, a posting that comes ahead of President Tinubu’s scheduled state visit to Ankara next week.
Onanuga disclosed that President Tinubu, in a formal memo to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, directed the ministry to immediately notify the governments of the four host countries of the ambassadorial nominations in line with established diplomatic protocols, including the request for agrément.
“The President has approved the posting of the ambassador-designates and directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to commence the necessary diplomatic processes,” the statement said.
The development follows the Senate’s confirmation of ambassadorial nominees on December 18, 2025, after it considered and adopted a report by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.
President Tinubu had earlier, on December 4, 2025, forwarded a list of 65 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate, comprising 34 career diplomats and 31 non-career ambassadors and high commissioners.
The Senate subsequently confirmed 64 of the nominees, while three non-career nominees, Lateef Kayode Are, Aminu Dalhatu, and Emmanuel Ayodele Oke had earlier received legislative approval, bringing the total number of confirmed ambassadors to 67.
The list of non-career ambassadors includes several prominent political figures and public officials, among them former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu; former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode; former Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu; and former presidential aide, Reno Omokri.
Diplomatic sources told News Point Nigeria that the staggered deployment of ambassadors is aimed at ensuring smooth coordination, strategic engagement, and readiness at priority foreign missions, especially those critical to Nigeria’s economic diplomacy, security cooperation, and international partnerships.
With the latest approvals, the Tinubu administration appears set to gradually activate Nigeria’s diplomatic presence abroad, after months of anticipation following the confirmation process.
Further postings of the remaining ambassador-designates are expected in the coming weeks as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concludes internal arrangements and consultations with host countries.