The Nigerian government led by President Bola Tinubu is reportedly screening nominees for diplomatic posts at all 109 missions including 11 international consulates, 22 high commissions, and 76 embassies.
While the names of all nominees remain classified, presidency insiders say a mix of career diplomats and political appointees are on the list.
Former Minister of Aviation under the Obasanjo administration, Femi Fani-Kayode, and a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Femi Pedro, are reportedly among the nominees, according to a report by The PUNCH
Other names said to be under consideration include Fola Adeola, founder of Guaranty Trust Bank.
Presidency officials confirmed that several individuals have been contacted to submit their work history and personal education details as part of the vetting procedure.
The process, according to sources, is decentralised and not conducted centrally where nominees are required to report to the nearest Directorate of State Services (DSS) office for security checks.
A second source also disclosed that the vetting process is location-based, meaning nominees are contacted based on their proximity to DSS offices and asked to submit their personal information, including educational history and prior appointments.
One official said, “They’re going to announce the appointments soon. They are being screened as we speak. The names of the nominees are highly classified for now because not every one of the names listed will eventually make it through.
“FFK [Femi Fani-Kayode] is on the list. These are some of the controversial names that have been put forward as well. Then there is Fola Adeola [founder of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc] and Femi Pedro too. They’re moving on with the process more quickly this time.”
Another official blamed the lengthy process on the need for vetting to prevent issues that could harm the nation’s reputation abroad.
“The nominees are being vetted, and background checks are being conducted on them. It is usually done so that the nominees will not have any security issues and their deployment will not have a negative impact on the country,” the official said.
There were speculations that former presidential aide Reno Omokri had been shortlisted, but a source in the presidency dismissed the claim.
“Reno is not on the list. But FFK is there,” the source said.
President Tinubu’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, who earlier spoke about the delays, also said nominations for ambassadorial roles must be thorough before a final list is transmitted to the National Assembly.
“Don’t forget that the ambassadorial list has two components. There are career ambassadors and political ambassadors. The foreign affairs list and the consolidated list will still go through certain processes before they are released,” Onanuga said.
The Federal Government has not appointed ambassadors since President Bola Tinubu recalled over 83 envoys in September 2023 following a comprehensive review of the country’s foreign policy.
