Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says budgetary constraints and economic pressures are affecting the operations of several diplomatic and consular missions. Spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa said the challenges include delays in salary payments and unsettled bills, which have hampered the smooth running of embassies abroad.
The ministry assured Nigerians that the welfare of diplomatic staff and their families remains a priority for President Bola Tinubu’s administration. It said special intervention funds have been released to ease the financial hardship at some missions.
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To ensure transparency, a committee has been set up to assess debt profiles, with over 80 percent of available funds cleared for payments. The ministry said priority has been given to service providers, locally recruited staff, and arrears owed to officers.
According to the statement, officials are also working with the accountant-general, the finance ministry, and the Central Bank of Nigeria to address foreign exchange shortfalls. The ministry added that a sustainable financial model for funding missions abroad is being developed as part of wider public sector reforms.
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