By Amayindi Yakubu
It’s not every day we notice our own silence, but for 16 months now, our 109 embassies, high commissions and consulates have been whispering instead of speaking. Since President Tinubu recalled all ambassadors on 2 September 2023, our missions abroad have operated under chargés d’affaires and consuls-general – capable administrators, yes, but lacking the cabinet-level authority and network to open doors or seal deals.
Can a nation that dreams of a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, membership of the G20 and BRICS, and deeper ties with neighbours really afford diplomatic muteness? Diplomacy as a vehicle for maintaining and sustaining peace, development and international relations must be seen as a core mandate of our government’s responsibility.
With rising tensions all over the globe from issues ranging from trade wars, immigration, and the backsliding trend of funding for the developing world, Nigeria’s diplomacy beyond its shores needs urgent attention. The world we live in demands such romance with foreign allies for our local interests to find fulfilment overseas, yet we cannot achieve that by depending on the presidency alone to negotiate all deals without the help of ambassadors stationed at our respective embassies abroad.
Recall exercises are, by design, a pause—a chance to recalibrate our foreign-service priorities and refresh our teams. When President Tinubu initiated this process, it opened the door to reposition seasoned career diplomats and to welcome new envoys aligned with the administration’s vision. Sixteen months on, that pause can give way to purposeful action, which is deploying ambassadors whose clear mandates will amplify Nigeria’s voice in every nation’s capital
Ambassadors do more than serve as ceremonial figureheads. They negotiate trade deals, facilitate investment missions, and champion homegrown enterprises abroad. Picture how many Nigerian businesses overseas have been stagnating, awaiting an official endorsement from our ambassadors. With a full ambassadorial presence, such endorsement could transform tentative interest into concrete partnerships. Restoring envoys is thus not mere diplomatic protocol, it is an engine for economic growth, drawing in the foreign direct investment our nation so keenly seeks.
Behind every embassy door are Nigerians seeking visas or emergency assistance. Interim envoys ensure basic operations continue, yet they often lack the authority to expedite complex cases. By returning full ambassadors to these posts, we reaffirm our commitment to the welfare of citizens overseas, especially students awaiting study permit renewals, businesspeople chasing export licences, and families seeking consular protection in emergencies.
The 2025 appropriation earmarks N53 billion for the renovation of 103 missions, within a total Foreign Affairs budget of N287 billion. Infrastructure revitalisation and personnel deployment need not be mutually exclusive. A modest reallocation coupled with reinvestment of visa-fee surpluses can underwrite ambassadorial appointments without delaying chancery upgrades. Such a balanced budgetary approach ensures our missions are both modern and fully empowered.
Nations of similar size and fiscal footprint maintain uninterrupted diplomatic representation by staggering recall dates, setting up dedicated reserve funds, and leveraging mission-generated revenues. Nigeria can adopt these best practices by establishing a “Diplomatic Continuity Fund” and extending tenure cycles to minimise transition gaps. These measures would safeguard our presence in key capitals, even amid calendar-year realignments.
Beyond government coffers, public-private collaborations can fortify our diplomatic outreach. Imagine embassies hosting annual “Nigeria Week” festivals showcasing our music, film, and technology, whose ticket and sponsorship revenues underwrite cultural attachés and local staff training. Such initiatives highlight our soft-power assets while generating funds for sustained, high-impact diplomacy.
President Tinubu, the National Assembly, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are natural partners in this endeavour. By agreeing on a timeline for ambassadorial postings, approving modest supplementary allocations, and endorsing revenue-recycling measures, they can signal unity of purpose. In doing so, they will reassure international partners and diaspora communities that Nigeria remains engaged, responsive, and forward-looking.
Will we let this intermission stretch into another year, or will we seize the moment to give Nigeria back her voice on the world stage? Our security partnerships in the Sahel, our trade negotiations in the European Union and our cultural exchanges in Latin America all depend on envoys with full authority to engage. By restoring ambassadors to our 109 missions, we signal to international partners and to Nigerians at home and abroad that our country is purposeful, proactive and proud.
The vacancies in our embassies and consulates all over the world might have been sending a subtle message to our allies that we have not really paid attention to. To think that a nation can withdraw ambassadors and not replace them in time will connote that we are not serious about diplomatic relations. We need to lead the narrative rather than being the subject discussion by taking the right steps.
Come to think of it, most of the bilateral and multi-lateral agreements we have been signing with foreign bodies and nations will need our agents, who are the ambassadors, to ensure and mount pressure for their compliance. The appointment and deployment of our ambassadors go a long way in making sure that the development we are striving for finds fulfilment because these people are our mouthpiece in rooms where the decisions are made.
It’s time to replace whispers with declarations. Let our ambassadors carry Nigeria’s aspirations and expertise back into the boardrooms, banquet halls and conference centres where decisions that shape nations are made. After all, our silence has gone on long enough. Let’s speak up 1boldly, confidently and together.
