President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved special financial interventions to ease the severe financial challenges faced by Nigeria’s diplomatic missions abroad, following years of budgetary constraints.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that many missions across the globe had been unable to pay staff salaries, rent, and other operational costs due to a persistent shortfall in allocations.
“Our missions are not immune to the economic situation at home,” the Ministry’s Spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa said.
The Ministry attributed the financial strain to years of limited budgets, which it said had hampered the ability of embassies and consulates to effectively carry out their diplomatic and consular responsibilities.
Government Intervention
To address the crisis, the government said President Tinubu approved the release of intervention funds to alleviate the hardship. A verification committee was also set up to assess the debt profiles of affected missions.
According to Ebienfa, “more than 80% of the available funds have been cleared for payment, with priority given to service providers, salaries of locally recruited staff, and arrears owed to home-based officers.”
He said that the Ministry has engaged with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to recover shortfalls in the 2024 fiscal year allocations caused by foreign exchange fluctuations.
“The government has approved the settlement of this shortfall, and the first tranche of funds has already been remitted to all missions,” Ebienfa stressed.
Sustainable Funding and Stabilisation
To ensure long-term stability, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said it is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria to fast-track the release of Second Semester Allocations.
“We expect the release of Personnel and Overhead Cost Allocations to begin this week, which should help clear outstanding allowances and stabilise the financial situation of the missions,” he confirmed.
Ebienfa explained that work is ongoing to design a more sustainable funding model for Nigeria’s diplomatic presence abroad, as part of broader public sector financial reforms.
He also commended the staff for their dedication in the face of difficult circumstances, while thanking host governments and partners for their cooperation.
“The government remains committed to providing the necessary support for its missions to function at full capacity,” the Spokesperson reaffirmed.
PIAK
