PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved plots of land in Abuja to his newly appointed ambassadors and high commissioners-designate.
The ICIR reported in March that Tinubu deployed 65 ambassadors for various diplomatic missions worldwide.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, announced the land allocation in Abuja on Wednesday, April 29, during a courtesy visit by the envoys, led by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dunoma Ahmed.
In a statement by Deputy Director, Press, Office of the Minister, Rabi Umar, Wike said the move was intended to provide the envoys with permanent residences in the nation’s capital and ensure that they have a home to return to during official briefings and after their service abroad.
Wike was quoted as saying, “Mr President called me and said these ambassadors would be leaving Nigeria, and he believes that from time to time, they will come to Abuja to brief him… So, he directed that before you leave this morning, every one of you should have your form to fill out for land allocation in Abuja so that when you come back, you don’t need to stay in a hotel”.
The statement quoted him further, “Barr. Wike further charged the diplomats to be the eyes and ears of Nigeria during their national assignments, emphasising that their character and representation were vital to how the world perceives the country. He specifically urged them to counter misinformation regarding Nigeria’s political landscape, especially the narrative that Nigeria is turning into a one-party state.”
The minister also identified agriculture and waste management as two critical sectors where the FCT needed international partnerships, mentioning ongoing discussions with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Ireland in this regard.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Dunoma Ahmed, explained that the visit was designed to acquaint the envoys with the strategic importance of the FCT as the diplomatic hub of the country and the window through which the international community views Nigeria.
“This visit is intended to deepen understanding of the ongoing initiatives, opportunities and developmental priorities within the Territory. It is also an opportunity to explore how our missions abroad can effectively support and complement the efforts of the FCT Administration in areas such as investment promotions, cultural exchange, partnerships and infrastructure advancements”.
He pledged that the officials would align their efforts abroad with the developmental priorities of the FCT Administration and Tinubu’s vision.
The ICIR reports that in December 2025, the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs screened and approved non-career ambassadorial nominees forwarded by Tinubu, which included former ministers, Femi Fani-Kayode and Abdulrahman Dambazau, former presidential aide Reno Omokri, former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, former presidential aide Senator Ita Enang, and former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Yakubu Mahmood.
After assuming office in September 2023, the Tinubu administration recalled all Nigerian ambassadors, but replacing them proved slow. This attracted criticisms following prolonged gaps in diplomatic representation that weakened Nigeria’s international influence and hampered bilateral cooperation.
For nearly 28 months, Nigeria’s over 100 diplomatic missions worldwide operated without substantive ambassadors but worked with chargés d’affaires and senior diplomats managing embassies.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.