President Tinubu Nominates Key Ambassadors to US, UK, and France

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sent three high-profile nominations for ambassadorial appointments to the Senate, targeting key diplomatic posts in the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. These nominees, comprising seasoned security and diplomatic figures, await Senate screening and confirmation before their postings are finalized.

The nominees include Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu, who has prior ambassadorial experience in South Korea during the Buhari administration, having first been appointed in 2016. Ambassador Ayodele Oke, an Emory University alumnus, is a former Director General of Nigeria’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and previously served as Nigeria’s ambassador to the Commonwealth Secretariat in London. Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are, a distinguished former Director General of the State Security Service (SSS) from 1999 to 2007 and National Security Adviser in 2010, brings deep experience from his background in military intelligence. He graduated with First Class Honours in Psychology from the University of Ibadan in 1980.

President Tinubu’s decision to forward these names signals a strategic move to reinforce Nigeria’s diplomatic relations with pivotal global partners. The nominations come after a period in which Nigeria’s ambassadorial posts were largely vacant following a comprehensive recall of envoys in 2023. The presidency has expressed confidence in the nominees’ capacity to advance Nigeria’s foreign policy goals and foster international cooperation.

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The Senate is expected to prioritize the screening process to expedite the confirmation of these appointments, a move seen as vital for Nigeria’s diplomacy, trade, and security partnerships abroad.

This appointment list marks the initial phase of a broader ambassadorial nomination process, with more appointments anticipated in due course as the Tinubu administration strengthens its global representation network​.