Abuja, Nigeria — President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded the names of 32 additional ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for screening and confirmation, following an earlier submission of three nominees last week.
In two separate letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu requested the expeditious consideration and confirmation of 15 career ambassadors and 17 non-career ambassadors, as part of his administration’s efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s diplomatic representation across key global regions.
Women Well Represented in New Batch
Out of the new nominations, four women are included on the career ambassadors’ list, while six women appear on the non-career list, reflecting an increased level of female participation in Nigeria’s foreign service appointments.
Key Non-Career Ambassador Nominees
Notable personalities named among the non-career ambassadors include:
- Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu (Abia), former presidential aide
- Reno Omokri (Delta), political analyst and former aide
- Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, former INEC Chairman
- Erelu Angela Adebayo, former Ekiti First Lady
- Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, former Governor of Enugu State
- Otunba Femi Pedro, former Deputy Governor of Lagos
- Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, former Minister of Aviation
- Prof. Nora Ladi Daduut, former Senator (Plateau)
- Fatima Florence Ajimobi, former First Lady of Oyo State
- Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, former Governor of Abia State
- Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo)
- Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu, former Nigerian envoy to the Holy See
Other nominees include Yakubu N. Gambo, Tasiu Musa Maigari, Lola Akande, Grace Bent, and Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu, among others.
Career Ambassador and High Commissioner Nominees
The nominees for career ambassadorial and high commissioner positions include:
- 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)
Strategic Global Postings Ahead
According to the State House, once confirmed by the Senate, the new ambassadors will be deployed to key countries and international missions where Nigeria maintains strong bilateral and multilateral ties. These include:
- China
- India
- South Korea
- Canada
- Mexico
- United Arab Emirates
- Qatar
- South Africa
- Kenya
- Permanent Missions including the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union
Official diplomatic postings will be disclosed after Senate confirmation.
Earlier Batch Already Submitted
Last week, President Tinubu had submitted three initial nominees for consideration, namely:
- Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo State)
- Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa State)
- Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun State)
They are expected to be considered for key postings to the United Kingdom, United States, or France upon confirmation.
President Tinubu further assured that additional ambassadorial nominations will be announced soon, as the administration continues its diplomatic restructuring and foreign policy revalidation.
The nomination was officially announced in a statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, dated November 29, 2025.
ABNews will continue to monitor Senate proceedings and provide updates on the confirmation process and official diplomatic deployments.
