Reno Omokri
FG Begins Screening for New Ambassadors to Fill Vacant Diplomatic Posts
The Federal Government has commenced the screening of nominees for diplomatic appointments to fill vacancies across Nigeria’s 76 embassies and 22 high commissions.
Nominees have been directed to undergo security checks at the Department of State Services (DSS) offices nearest to them, with some asked to submit detailed educational and work records.
Sources said two former Southeast governors—Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia)—have already been screened. Other notable figures on the list include ex-senator Shehu Sani, who recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and former presidential aide Reno Omokri.
Additionally, former Lagos State Deputy Governor Femi Pedro and ex-Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode have reportedly completed their screenings and received clearance for potential diplomatic postings.
This move follows President Bola Tinubu’s recall of all Nigerian ambassadors—both career and non-career—in September 2023.
After a prolonged delay, the presidency hinted in March 2025 that replacements would be announced “very soon.”
Background checks on nominees are currently underway, with intelligence reports shared among key presidency and legislative agencies. Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar previously cited funding constraints as a reason for the delay, even as foreign officials expressed concerns over the absence of envoys in critical missions.
With the screening process now in progress, the Federal Government is expected to soon unveil the new ambassadors and their assigned countries
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