The federal government has started vetting potential candidates to lead its more than 100 diplomatic missions, with appointments expected “very soon”, 18 months after President Bola Tinubu recalled all ambassadors, sources familiar with the matter have told Reuters.

In September 2023, the government recalled all its envoys, with the minister of foreign affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, announcing at the time that the action which affected career and non-career ambassadors, was not a witch-hunt.