President Bola Tinubu has officially approved the deployment of four senior ambassadors-designate to Nigeria’s most critical Western missions and Turkey, marking a decisive move to restore full diplomatic representation in major global capitals after more than two years of vacancies.
The announcement was confirmed in a state house press release issued on Thursday, January 22, 2026. Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga disclosed that the appointments were drawn from a pool of 68 nominees recently cleared by the Nigerian Senate.
Under the new directive, Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are has been posted as Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to the United States. Are, a former Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), is expected to leverage his extensive security background to strengthen bilateral counter-terrorism efforts and intelligence sharing between Abuja and Washington.
Joining him in the top tier of the diplomatic corps is Ambassador Ayodele Oke, who has been assigned to France. Oke previously served as the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). His posting to Paris is seen as a move to deepen Nigeria’s economic and security ties with the European Union’s leading military power.
The United Kingdom will receive Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu as Nigeria’s High Commissioner. Dalhatu, a seasoned diplomat and former envoy to South Korea, brings significant foreign service experience to London at a time when Nigeria is seeking to renegotiate trade and migration agreements following the U.K.'s post-Brexit transition.
Additionally, the President approved the posting of Usman Isa Dakingari Suleiman, a former Governor of Kebbi State, as the ambassador-designate to Turkey. This specific appointment was accelerated to coincide with President Tinubu’s scheduled state visit to Ankara next week, where trade and defence pacts are expected to be high on the agenda.
"The President has approved the posting of four ambassador-designates, out of the 68 confirmed by the Senate last December," Onanuga stated. "In a memo to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the President urged the ministry to notify the governments of the four countries about the ambassador-designates, in line with established diplomatic procedures."
While these four appointments have been finalised, dozens of other confirmed nominees are still awaiting their specific assignments. These include high-profile and sometimes controversial figures such as former INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode, and former presidential aide Reno Omokri.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is now expected to secure "agreements"—the formal consent from the host nations—before the ambassadors-designate can officially present their credentials and assume their duties.
