ABUJA — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has substantially expanded his ambassadorial list, submitting the names of 32 additional nominees to the Senate for confirmation on Saturday, November 29, 2025. This decisive move, coming shortly after an initial batch of three names, signifies the President’s urgency in fully staffing Nigeria’s key diplomatic missions worldwide.
In two separate letters addressed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu requested the Senate to expeditiously consider and confirm the nominees. The list is strategically divided into 15 career ambassadors and 17 non-career ambassadors, blending the professional experience of the foreign service with political insight.
Political Heavyweights Land on Non-Career List
The non-career nominees category features several high-profile politicians and former government officials, underscoring the political dimension of the appointments:
Name Previous High-Profile Role State of OriginProf. Mahmud Yakubu Former Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) (Designated)Reno Omokri Former Presidential Aide (New Media) DeltaChief Femi Fani-Kayode Former Minister of Aviation OsunIfeanyi Ugwuanyi Former
Other notable non-career nominees include former Lagos Commissioner Lola Akande, former Adamawa Senator Grace Bent, former Katsina Speaker Tasiu Musa Maigari, Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu, and former Nigerian Ambassador to the Holy See, Paul Oga Adikwu (Benue).
Career Officers and Gender Balance
The list maintains a focus on professionalism and gender representation. The nominees include four women on the career list and six women on the non-career list, bringing the total female nominees in this batch to ten.
The 15 career ambassador and high commissioner-designates are expected to bring diplomatic continuity to the foreign service:
Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu (Abia)
Yakubu Nyaku Danladi (Taraba)
Miamuna Ibrahim Besto (Adamawa)
Musa Musa Abubakar (Kebbi)
Syndoph Paebi Endoni (Bayelsa)
Chima Geoffrey Lioma David (Ebonyi)
Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim (Ogun)
Abimbola Samuel Reuben (Ondo)
Yvonne Ehinosen Odumah (Edo)
Hamza Mohammed Salau (Niger)
Ambassador Shehu Barde (Katsina)
Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno)
Ambassador Muhammad Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna)
Ambassador Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari (Kwara)
Ambassador Wahab Adekola Akande (Osun)
Missions to Key Global Partners AwaitedFollowing their confirmation, the new ambassadors are expected to fill crucial diplomatic posts in countries with whom Nigeria maintains excellent and strategic bilateral relations. These potential postings include major global capitals such as China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and South Africa.
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Additionally, they are slated for deployment to Permanent Missions at significant international bodies, including the United Nations (UN), UNESCO, and the African Union (AU).
The President had previously sent three nominees: Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun), who are reportedly being considered for high-value missions like the United Kingdom, USA, or France.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, confirmed the development, noting that more names are expected to be announced soon, completing the government’s overhaul of its diplomatic corps.
