President Bola Tinubu approved the posting of ambassadors-designate to France, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
The approval was disclosed in a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Presidential Spokesperson, on Thursday in Abuja, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The development followed the Senate’s confirmation of the President’s list of ambassadorial nominees in December.
What the Presidency is saying
According to the Presidency, Tinubu approved the posting of Ambassador Ayodele Oke as Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to France.
The President also approved the posting of Colonel Lateef Are as Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to the United States of America.
In addition, Ambassador Amin Dalhatu, a former Nigerian envoy to South Korea, was approved as the high commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom.
“President Bola Tinubu has approved the posting of three ambassadors-designate from the 68 nominees earlier confirmed by the Senate. The approvals were conveyed in a statement issued by the Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on Thursday in Abuja.
“Amb. Ayodele Oke has been posted as Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to France. Col. Lateef Are was approved as the ambassador-designate to the United States of America.
“Tinubu also confirmed the posting of Amb. Amin Dalhatu, former envoy to South Korea, as the high commissioner-designate to the United Kingdom,” the report read in part.
The statement further noted that Tinubu had directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to formally notify the governments of France, the United States, and the United Kingdom of the postings, in line with established diplomatic procedures.
What you should know
The ambassadors-designate posted to the United Kingdom, United States, and France were screened by the Senate ahead of the broader batch of nominees, making them the first set considered for confirmation.
President Tinubu had earlier forwarded the names of Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun) to the Senate, with their proposed postings tied to Nigeria’s missions in France, the US, and the UK.
The approval comes in the third year of President Bola Tinubu’s tenure, after the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, had said Nigeria was unable to deploy new ambassadors earlier due to funding constraints.
Their screening preceded the Senate’s confirmation of 64 ambassadorial nominees in December 2025, comprising 34 career ambassadors and 30 non-career ambassadors
The confirmation followed the adoption of a report by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, after the President’s request for confirmation was read during plenary on December 4.
With the postings approved, the process now moves to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is expected to formally notify the host governments before the envoys assume duty.
