President Bola Tinubu has approved the posting of four ambassador-designates to France, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Turkey.
The appointees are Ambassador Ayodele Oke to France, Colonel Lateef Are to the United States, Ambassador Amin Dalhatu as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and former Kebbi State Governor Usman Isa Dakingari Suleiman to Turkey.
The nominations were made in accordance with Section 171 (1), (2)(c) and (4) of the 1999 constitution (as amended). The nominees were among the 68 ambassadorial nominees confirmed by the Senate in December 2025. Ambassador Dalhatu previously served as Nigeria’s ambassador to South Korea under former President Muhammadu Buhari, while Ambassador Oke is a former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
Colonel Are, a retired intelligence officer, was Director General of the State Security Service (SSS) from 1999 to 2007 and later became National Security Adviser in 2010. The appointments are part of President Tinubu’s efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s diplomatic relations with key countries.
The Senate had confirmed 34 career ambassadors and 30 non-career ambassadors, including prominent political figures, former governors, ex-ministers, and seasoned diplomats. The confirmed list includes former Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau; former presidential aide, Ita Enang; and former Special Adviser on New Media to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri.
