The Federal Government has confirmed that several countries, including the United Kingdom, France and the United States, have granted agreement for Nigeria’s ambassadorial nominees, signalling progress in efforts to fill long-vacant diplomatic positions.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, disclosed this on Monday, saying the process of securing approval from host countries is ongoing.

“I wish to inform you that the process of receiving agréments from the countries the ambassadors-designate are posted to is ongoing. We have received agreements from the United Kingdom, France, United States of America, Ireland, Qatar, Benin Republic, Ethiopia/Djibouti, Senegal, Sierra Leone, among others,” he said.

Ebienfa added that the date for the induction ceremony of the envoys would be announced once finalised and approved by the Presidency.

The development comes after a prolonged period in which Nigeria operated without substantive ambassadors in many foreign missions under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Since assuming office in May 2023, Tinubu had delayed fresh ambassadorial appointments, leaving several key diplomatic posts vacant and relying largely on chargés d’affaires to manage missions.

The absence of ambassadors drew criticism from stakeholders, who warned that it could weaken Nigeria’s diplomatic influence and bilateral engagements, especially in strategic countries.

To address the gap, the Presidency eventually forwarded a list of ambassadorial nominees to the National Assembly late in 2025. The nominees were subsequently screened by the Senate in December 2025, marking a significant step towards restoring Nigeria’s full diplomatic presence abroad.

However, despite the screening, deployment of the envoys has remained subject to the receipt of agrément from host countries; a standard diplomatic requirement before ambassadors can assume duty.

The latest confirmation by the Ministry indicates that the process is gradually nearing completion, with approvals already secured from major global partners and regional allies.

With more approvals expected in the coming weeks, attention is now on the Presidency to conclude the process and formally dispatch the envoys to their respective countries.