Abuja, 20 July 2025 – The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued a stark warning to President Bola Tinubu, criticising his administration’s failure to appoint ambassadors to Nigeria’s foreign missions nearly two years after recalling all envoys in 2023. The opposition party claims this oversight is damaging the country’s international standing and exacerbating issues for Nigerians abroad.
In a press statement released today by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described the prolonged absence of ambassadors as “embarrassing” and indicative of the government’s lack of ambition and understanding of governance. The party highlighted that Nigeria has now endured the longest period without duly accredited ambassadors in its foreign missions, warning that other nations may soon downgrade their representation in Nigeria as a protest.
“Since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recalled Nigeria’s 109 ambassadors from across the world in 2023, none has been replaced, leaving our country no voice or representation when decisions are taken that affect our country and our citizens,” the statement read. It emphasised that junior diplomats or chargés d’affaires cannot adequately substitute for full ambassadors, as they lack the necessary access and recognition in diplomatic circles.
The ADC pointed to recent escalations in visa and consular disputes with the United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as direct consequences of this diplomatic vacuum. Earlier this month, the US Embassy in Abuja announced that, effective from 8 July 2025, most non-immigrant visas for Nigerians would be limited to single-entry, three-month permits, down from the previous five-year multiple-entry options. Similarly, the UAE has imposed restrictions on transit visas for Nigerians and limited tourist access, just a year after lifting a two-year visa ban.
The party also criticised the government’s handling of a reported US request for Nigeria to accept Venezuelan deportees, some of whom were recently released from prison. Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar publicly rejected the proposal during a television interview, stating that Nigeria, with its population exceeding 230 million, could not accommodate such deportees. While the ADC expressed support for the government’s stance, it condemned the minister’s “reckless” public expression of Nigeria’s position on a sensitive matter, arguing it demonstrated diplomatic incompetence that could have been avoided with an ambassador in Washington.
“This inexplicable failure of this government to appoint ambassadors has affected the quality of our engagement and relationships with the countries hosting our missions all over the world,” the statement continued. It lamented that while other nations are forging alliances and securing investments, Nigeria is “not in the room” due to the lack of high-level representation. The ADC further noted the impact on Nigerians abroad, including students and professionals facing indignities, weakened consular services, and low morale among foreign service staff.
The opposition party accused the Tinubu administration of prioritising “cronies” for ambassadorial postings over urgent national needs, urging the president to act immediately to prevent further embarrassment. “President Tinubu should appoint ambassadors now to save Nigeria any further foreign policy embarrassment,” the statement concluded.
