Several countries, including India, have reportedly declined to accept some of the ambassador-designates recently deployed by President Bola Tinubu, citing diplomatic policies that discourage receiving envoys from governments with less than two years remaining in office.
Sources within the presidency and Nigeria’s foreign service told our correspondents that India, where career diplomat Muhammad Dahiru was posted, exercised its longstanding discretion to reject the ambassadorial request. Officials explained that such policies are designed to ensure continuity in diplomatic representation and prevent short-term postings from countries with imminent governmental transitions.
The development confirms earlier reports suggesting that Tinubu’s ambassadorial appointments could face rejection due to time constraints in their tenure. “We have been receiving signals from New Delhi and other capitals showing reluctance in granting agrement,” said one source familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of diplomatic engagements.
Agrement, the formal approval by the receiving country, is a prerequisite for any ambassador to officially assume duties. Without it, ambassador-designates cannot proceed to their postings, leaving critical diplomatic positions vacant.
President Tinubu last week posted 31 career and 34 non-career ambassadors, previously screened by the National Assembly in December 2025, to various countries and the United Nations. The appointments came more than two years into his administration, after criticism over delays in filling key diplomatic roles.
Observers noted that the diplomatic gap became particularly sensitive when former US President Donald Trump publicly accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians, threatening potential military action. While Tinubu’s administration leveraged the situation to strengthen Nigeria’s military ties with the United States, the absence of appointed diplomats left the country exposed in several international engagements.
Officials now face the delicate task of navigating host countries’ policies while ensuring Nigeria’s diplomatic presence is not compromised. Analysts warn that prolonged delays in securing agrement could affect Nigeria’s foreign relations and international positioning.
