India along with other countries have purportedly declined to accept a number of ambassadors recently posted to them by President Bola Tinubu, citing diplomatic policies tied to the remaining tenure of the sending government.
This development follows earlier concerns that several of Tinubu’s ambassador-designates could face resistance from host countries due to the limited time left in the administration’s current tenure.
Top Society reports that under diplomatic protocol, countries must grant formal approval known as agrément before a nominated envoy can assume duties. Without this consent, ambassadors cannot be officially deployed.
Out of 65 ambassadorial nomineesannounced by Tinubu on March 6, only the United Kingdom and France have granted agrément so far. The rest, including envoys to Germany, Mexico, China, and the UN, face uncertain timelines for approval, The Punch reports.
Diplomatic experts note that the delay is also tied to the approaching January 2027 elections, making some countries hesitant to receive political appointees who may soon return for campaign activities.
After more than two years of diplomatic limbo, Tinubu last week approved the posting of 65 ambassadors-designate to Nigeria’s foreign missions around the world.
Tinubu had in September 2023 recalled Nigeria’s ambassadors from foreign missions, with the rationale being a broader review of the country’s foreign policy structure. This was followed by a prolonged vacuum where missions were staffed only by chargés d’affaires, leaving bilateral relationships wanting, and Nigeria’s global diplomatic footprint quietly diminished.
The process of filling those ambassadorial positions began in late November 2025, when the President submitted the names of the first batch of ambassadorial nominees to the Senate. More lists followed in the subsequent weeks, eventually totalling 68 candidates. The Senate screened and confirmed the nominees in December 2025, paving the way for the formal postings announced last week.
Sources within Nigeria’s Presidency and the foreign service disclosed that India has a standing practice of not accepting ambassadors from administrations with less than two years left in office.
One of those affected is career diplomat Ambassador Muhammad Dahiru, who was nominated to serve in New Delhi.
Friendly relations, such as the strengthened ties with India following Tinubu’s 2023 G20 visit and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2024 visit to Nigeria, may help negotiate exceptions, but short-tenure policies remain a significant hurdle for the remaining ambassadorial postings.
Quoting officials familiar with the matter, Daily Sun reports that the Asian country is exercising its discretion to delay or reject the request from Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Dahiru’s acceptance.
“They don’t accept an ambassador from an administration that has less than two years in office. So they are giving us that body language already,” a Presidency source said.
Officials say while India’s position is the most explicit so far, other countries may adopt similar approaches, potentially delaying Nigeria’s plan to fully restore ambassadorial representation across its foreign missions.
