Foreign Affairs Perm Sec Meets Accountant-General Over Missions’ Funding

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has again expressed concern over persistent funding challenges affecting its operations, prompting a visit by its Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Dunoma Ahmed, to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation on Monday.

During the meeting, Ambassador Ahmed engaged with the Accountant-General, Dr. Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, to seek more predictable financing and faster release of budgeted allocations for the ministry’s activities at home and abroad.

The ministry has battled delayed funding for several years, resulting in growing operational setbacks across Nigeria’s foreign missions, including unpaid bills and disruptions in essential diplomatic services.

A statement issued on Tuesday by the ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, noted that the discussions focused on resolving these long-standing financial constraints and restoring stability to the ministry’s global operations.

The statement added that the meeting also addressed the broader implications of funding delays, especially as Nigeria continues efforts to re-staff its embassies and strengthen diplomatic engagement worldwide.

“Discussions focused on improving the finances of the Ministry, particularly the timely release of budgeted funds to our diplomatic missions abroad and headquarters, and also engaged in wider deliberations in areas of mutual interest,” the ministry said.

“Both sides acknowledged the urgency of addressing funding gaps that have hindered Nigeria’s foreign missions, even as the government moves to appoint and deploy new ambassadors after nearly two years,” it added.

The meeting comes as President Bola Tinubu recently forwarded 65 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate, including former INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, former Abia Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas and former Minister Femi Fani-Kayode, marking Nigeria’s most extensive diplomatic appointments in years.