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| Tinubu |
President Bola Tinubu has fired up Nigeria’s new ambassadors and high commissioners, charging them to aggressively chase foreign investments, forge ironclad partnerships, and thrust the country back into the global spotlight.
The push comes amid a whirlwind of appointments. Back on November 29, 2025, Tinubu forwarded 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate, spotlighting figures like Reno Omokri (ex-presidential aide), Mahmood Yakubu (former INEC chair), and Femi Fani-Kayode (ex-aviation minister).
Just days prior, he sought confirmation for three non-career picks: Kayode Are (Ogun), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa), and Ayodele Oke (Oyo).
By December 18, 2025, the Senate greenlit 64 envoys total - 34 career diplomats and 30 political appointees - betting big on their ability to elevate Nigeria abroad.
Delivering the charge on Monday, April 27, 2026, during an induction retreat at the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Abuja, Tinubu, via SGF George Akume, painted a turbulent world picture: geopolitical shifts, economic storms, tech upheavals, climate crises, and rising threats.
“Diplomats must step up like never before,” he stressed, per a statement from Yomi Odunuga, SGF’s media adviser. These envoys, he added, carry the administration’s full trust to deliver.
“The international system is evolving rapidly. We must be prepared to meet these challenges by focusing on how best to protect and promote Nigeria’s national interest,” the president said.
He urged the envoys to “adopt a modern, results-orientated approach to diplomacy, combining traditional methods with digital engagement, public diplomacy and strategic communication.”
Tinubu also stressed the need to project Nigeria’s story effectively while highlighting the achievements of his administration’s renewed hope agenda.
He charged the diplomats to be “proactive and innovative in fostering partnerships, promoting trade and attracting foreign direct investment and technology to Nigeria.”
The president said safeguarding the welfare of Nigerians in the diaspora must remain a top priority.
He further announced that Nigeria’s foreign policy framework known as the “4D doctrine” would be reordered from democracy, development, demography and diaspora to demography, development, diaspora and democracy.
“This re-ordering has put the Nigerian people at the centre of our foreign policy agenda and is aimed at harnessing outcomes for their maximum benefit,” he said.
He noted the need for professionalism, integrity and patriotism in diplomatic service, adding that envoys are not only government representatives but also custodians of Nigeria’s image abroad.
“You have a special responsibility in helping to reposition Nigeria in global affairs. The world is watching,” Tinubu said.
He emphasised accountability, urging missions to be result-driven, prudent in resource management and guided by clear, measurable goals that contribute to economic growth and national development.
The president encouraged participants to fully engage in the induction programme, saying it was designed to equip them with the skills required for effective diplomatic service in a rapidly changing world.
He also commended the national assembly for the swift confirmation of the nominees and urged the envoys to justify the confidence reposed in them.
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