President Bola Ahmed Tinubu engaged in diplomatic discussions on Friday as he met with the Ambassador-Designate from Hungary, Lorand Endreffy, and received credentials from the Hungarian envoy at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Additionally, Tinubu received a letter of credence from Christophe Bazivamo, High Commissioner-Designate, Rwanda.
In a separate development, President Tinubu is actively considering names on the list of prospective Nigerian Ambassadors to various countries worldwide. Reports indicate that the President is eyeing individuals with strong backgrounds in business and industry, aiming to deploy technocrats and captains of industry as ambassadors to represent Nigeria abroad.
A high-ranking official in the nation’s foreign service disclosed that one of the notable names being considered is Tajudeen Afolabi Adeola, the Founder of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank). Adeola is reportedly being earmarked as Nigeria’s ambassador to one of the world’s top three economies. The move signals Tinubu’s strategic approach to diplomatic representation by selecting individuals with established reputations in their respective fields.
The official emphasized that while there are politicians on the list, the President is reserving many slots for technocrats and business leaders known for their significant contributions to the Nigerian economy. The goal is to leverage the influence and expertise of these individuals to secure beneficial deals and partnerships for the country.
The source remarked, “It is not a new thing. When choosing envoys, the most developed economies send their best hands for those jobs. And Tinubu is following that path. For example, Adeola is an investor and is not a strange face on the foreign scene and the global business community. He knows them, and they know him. And he is not the only one. You can see that this speaks of the administration’s pursuit of more Foreign Direct Investment.”