When US President Donald Trump designated Nigeria as a ?Country of Particular Concern? over alleged persecution of Christians, the reaction from Abuja was swift. The federal government rejected the label and reaffirmed Nigeria?s sovereignty.

But as the controversy deepened, following Trump?s threat to halt aid and instruct the Department of Defense to prepare for ?military action,? analysts said the incident exposed a far more troubling weakness: Nigeria?s diplomatic silence.

Analysts and observers argue that the developments expose Nigeria?s diplomatic vacuum, as there is no ambassador in Washington to engage directly with US authorities.

?There is no authoritative figure to speak for Nigeria in Washington,? said a senior foreign policy researcher. ?Without an ambassador, even the most serious diplomatic outreach becomes bureaucratic and slow. It weakens Nigeria?s ability to defend itself,? a political analyst noted.

The missing diplomats

In September 2023, President Bola Tinubu recalled all ambassadors and high commissioners, promising to reposition Nigeria?s foreign service for greater efficiency. Over two years later, replacements have yet to be named. From Washington to London, Brasilia to Beijing, Nigeria?s embassies are without heads, leaving senior officers to ?hold the fort? amid shrinking budgets and growing debt.

The result is a global network of underfunded, overstretched missions struggling to keep up with both administrative and diplomatic demands.

?Some of our embassy staff, diplomats for that matter, have taken their children out of school because they couldn?t pay the school fees,? said Sunny Ofehe, executive assistant to the Delta State governor on External Relations and Diaspora Affairs, in a recent interview. ?We have more than 110 missions across the globe? and we don?t even have ambassadors.?

For analysts, Trump?s threat, whether rhetorical or political, exposes the real-world consequences of this vacuum.

A crisis of response

Normally, a threat from a major power like the United States would trigger intense diplomatic engagement. The Nigerian ambassador would seek meetings with the US State Department, brief congressional committees, and rally allies to counter any misperception. Instead, Nigeria?s Washington mission could only send cables to Abuja.

The timing couldn?t be worse. Tinubu has spent much of his presidency travelling across continents, courting investors and signing trade and development agreements. But with no ambassadors to sustain the momentum, many of those deals risk stalling.

Money troubles and empty offices

The absence of ambassadors is only one symptom of a broader malaise. Nigeria?s foreign missions are buckling under financial strain, with mounting debts, unpaid staff, and in some cases, eviction threats.

?The ministry is not unaware of the restrictions that financial limitations have placed on the smooth running of the missions,? said Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a recent statement.

He admitted that unpaid salaries, rent, and foreign service allowances have disrupted operations, but added that the government is taking ?decisive steps? to stabilise missions.

According to the ministry, special intervention funds have been approved to offset debts, and a committee has cleared ?more than 80 percent? of verified payments, including salaries and service provider arrears. The second semester allocations have also been approved, with some missions ?beginning to stabilise.?

The political side is just as troubling. In a recent meeting with members of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Buhari Group, Tinubu admitted that drawing up the ambassadorial list has been difficult.

?I still have some slots for ambassadorial positions that too many people are craving for, but it?s not easy stitching together those names,? he said.

To many diplomats, this confirmed fears that ambassadorial postings were being held hostage by political bargaining.

Losing ground abroad

Foreign policy experts warn that the prolonged absence of ambassadors is eroding Nigeria?s credibility in multilateral and bilateral platforms. For a country campaigning for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council and lobbying for leadership roles in regional and international organizations, the optics are damaging.

Reacting on X (formerly Twitter), Aisha Hamman, a lawyer and civil society leader, described the situation as ?a loophole that foreign powers are already exploiting.?

?President @officialABAT, beyond statements, it is ABSOLUTELY NOT SENSIBLE that 26 months on, Nigerian embassies abroad remain without appointed ambassadors,? she wrote.

?Ambassadors are the official face of Nigeria abroad. Charg?s d?affaires cannot lobby effectively, negotiate high-level agreements, or fully protect our interests in international forums. Without them, Nigeria loses influence in multilateral bodies, bilateral talks, and regional coalitions.?

She warned that the vacuum leaves Nigeria?s diaspora unprotected, undermines visa negotiations and trade facilitation, and ?creates openings for foreign powers to misrepresent or manipulate Nigeria?s narrative, a vulnerability already evident in the Christian genocide claims that fueled this CPC designation.?

Calls for strategic engagement

Rabiu Kwankwaso, a former presidential candidate, urged a dual approach, overseas dialogue and reform at home.

?It is important to emphasize that our country is a sovereign nation whose people face different threats from outlaws across the country,? he said. ?The United States should assist the Nigerian authorities with better cutting-edge technology to tackle these problems, rather than posing a threat that could further polarize our country.?

Kwankwaso advised Tinubu to appoint special envoys from Nigeria?s seasoned diplomats to engage Washington while expediting the posting of permanent ambassadors.

?It is necessary to appoint permanent ambassadors to represent Nigeria?s interests on the international stage,? he added.

Wunmi Bewaji, legal scholar and public affairs analyst, took a broader view, linking Trump?s rhetoric to his controversial leadership style.

?It is about Trump?s character. Consider what he is doing to his people,? Bewaji said. ?He speaks like an emperor. He has done more damage to America?s democracy than any other president in the history of that country. Look at what he is doing in Ukraine, Colombia, and Venezuela. He deployed military men to the coast of Venezuela, and they are killing fishermen. What is that??

Bewaji urged Tinubu to ?engage in dialogue through multilateral platforms? such as ECOWAS and the European Union, arguing that only coordinated diplomacy can de-escalate tensions. (BusinessDay)

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