Nigeria Unveils Performance Charter For 11 Ambassadors, High Commissioners

July 07, () — The Federal Government has charged 11 newly appointed ambassadors and high commissioners-designate to allow Nigeria’s national interest to guide their conduct as it unveiled a performance-based charter aimed at strengthening accountability and results across the country’s diplomatic missions.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, gave the charge while presenting Letters of Credence to the envoys ahead of their deployment to Nigeria’s missions abroad.

Enikanolaiye said President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda places national development at the heart of Nigeria’s foreign policy, stressing that the ambassadors must pursue strategic national interests by attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), expanding trade and economic cooperation, strengthening security partnerships, and protecting the welfare of Nigerians living overseas.

He noted that the administration expects the country’s diplomatic missions to become drivers of economic growth and national development through effective representation and proactive engagement with host countries.

The minister announced the introduction of a customised Station Charter for every Head of Mission, describing it as a major reform designed to improve efficiency, accountability, and measurable performance across Nigeria’s foreign missions.

According to him, each charter contains clearly defined objectives and key performance indicators tailored to the specific responsibilities of the mission, while annual performance assessments will be conducted to evaluate each envoy’s effectiveness based on analytical reporting, policy recommendations, and measurable outcomes.

Enikanolaiye said the initiative forms part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ broader reform agenda, which is anchored on four strategic pillars—Demography, Development, Democracy, and the Diaspora.

He emphasised that Nigerians now occupy the centre of the country’s foreign policy, urging the envoys to ensure that diplomacy translates into tangible benefits for citizens at home and abroad.

The minister further called for accountability, responsiveness, teamwork, and stronger collaboration between the ministry’s headquarters and Nigeria’s diplomatic missions, saying effective coordination would enhance the country’s global standing and advance its foreign policy objectives.

The ambassadors and high commissioners-designate are Ambassador Femi Fani-Kayode, High Commissioner-designate to South Africa; Ambassador Jane Adams Bassey, Ambassador-designate to Jamaica with concurrent accreditation to the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Belize; Ambassador Samuel Reuben Abimbola Tolulope, Ambassador-designate to Italy with concurrent accreditation to Albania; Ambassador Joseph John Galgadi, Ambassador-designate to Gabon; Ambassador Danladi Nyaku, Ambassador-designate to Sudan with concurrent accreditation to Eritrea; and Ambassador Ahmed Olatunji Sulu-Gambari, Ambassador-designate to Malaysia.

Others are Ambassador Geoffrey Ijeoma David Chima, Ambassador-designate to Mali; Ambassador Philip Ikurusi, Ambassador-designate to Zimbabwe; Ambassador Raymond Abassi, Ambassador-designate to Hungary with concurrent accreditation to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, and Serbia; Ambassador Saidu Dahiru Mohamed, Ambassador-designate to India with concurrent accreditation to Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh; and Vice Admiral Ibas Ibok-Ete Ekwe (Rtd), High Commissioner-designate to the Philippines with concurrent accreditation to Cambodia.

Responding on behalf of the envoys, Vice Admiral Ekwe expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the extensive orientation and preparations provided ahead of their deployment.

He assured the Federal Government that the ambassadors and high commissioners fully understood the responsibilities entrusted to them by President Tinubu and were committed to implementing Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives with professionalism, integrity, and dedication.

Ekwe pledged that the envoys would work collectively to advance the Renewed Hope Agenda, uphold Nigeria’s image abroad, and maintain close cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in promoting the country’s national interests across their respective diplomatic postings.