The Federal Government has admitted that several Nigerian diplomatic and consular missions abroad are grappling with financial and operational difficulties, including unpaid staff salaries, outstanding rent, and debts to service providers.
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, confirmed this in a statement on Monday, acknowledging that the challenges have hindered the smooth running of embassies and consulates across different countries.
“The ministry is not unaware of the restrictions that financial limitations have placed on the smooth running of the missions, including the inability to pay salaries of locally recruited staff, financial obligations to service providers, rent to landlords, and the foreign service allowance to home-based officers,” the statement read.
The real issue
Ebienfa explained that the financial strain stems from years of budgetary shortfalls, which have left missions underfunded.
“It is pertinent to state, however, that the Nigerian diplomatic missions are not immune to the economic situation at home and its attendant challenges to government operations. The financial situation in our missions stems from budgetary limitations over the years, resulting in shortfalls in allocations,” he said.
Despite the difficulties, the ministry assured Nigerians at home and abroad that the welfare of diplomatic staff and their families remains a priority for the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
According to Ebienfa, government has recently approved and released special intervention funds to ease the hardship faced by some missions. In addition, a committee has been set up to assess the debt profiles of affected missions, with over 80 per cent of available funds already disbursed to clear obligations. Priority payments, he said, were directed to service providers, salaries of locally recruited staff, and arrears owed to officers.
The ministry stressed that while Nigeria’s embassies are not exempt from the country’s wider economic realities, persistent budgetary shortfalls have significantly weakened their ability to function effectively and discharge core diplomatic responsibilities.
