The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria has officially acknowledged the financial and operational difficulties facing several Nigerian diplomatic and consular missions abroad, including delayed salary payments for locally recruited staff, unsettled obligations to service providers, rental arrears, and allowances owed to foreign service officers. The Ministry explained that these challenges stem from budgetary shortfalls over the years, coupled with economic pressures at home, which have impacted government operations and, by extension, missions overseas.
In response, the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved and released special intervention funds to cushion the effects of these financial constraints. According to the Ministry, over 80% of verified outstanding payments have already been cleared, with priority given to service providers, staff salaries, and officers’ arrears. In addition, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation has been engaged to resolve shortfalls in the 2024 fiscal year caused by foreign exchange differentials under the new monetary policy. The first tranche of these funds has already been remitted to missions, while the second semester allocations have also been approved to stabilize operations further.
The Ministry confirmed that it is working closely with the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria to ensure the timely release of personnel and overhead cost allocations, starting this week. It also revealed plans to develop a sustainable long-term financial model for funding missions abroad, as part of the broader fiscal reforms being implemented by the federal government.
While recognizing the resilience and patriotism of diplomatic staff serving under these challenging circumstances, the Ministry expressed gratitude to host governments, service providers, and international partners for their cooperation and understanding. The statement reaffirmed that the welfare of staff and their families, along with the protection of Nigerian citizens worldwide, remains a top priority of the Tinubu administration.
Signed by Ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the statement reassured Nigerians that the current financial challenges confronting missions abroad are temporary and will soon be overcome through decisive government action.
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