Foreign Minister Warns Diplomats: Route All Official Business Through MFA

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has cautioned foreign missions to discontinue dealing directly with the presidency and other arms of government, stating that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) remains the sole official channel to the Nigerian government. During her first formal briefing with the Diplomatic Corps since taking office, Odumegwu-Ojukwu emphasized that her ministry is their "diplomatic home" and that she remains open to receiving them.

However, she underscored that official requests must traverse the ministry to guarantee coordination and institutional memory. Bypassing established channels could result in conflicting information, duplication, and avoidable misunderstandings, she cautioned.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu reaffirmed Nigeria's commitment to strategic autonomy under President Bola Tinubu, highlighting that this approach does not equate to isolation. Instead, it epitomizes preserving Nigeria’s sovereign right to determine relationships that best serve the nation. President Tinubu's foreign policy is centered on four key pillars — Demography, Development, Democracy, and Diaspora — and Nigeria's stance is characterized as Nigeria-centred, Africa-conscious, and globally engaged.

The minister announced plans to revive dormant joint commissions and bi-national commissions, insisting that diplomatic warmth must translate into concrete outcomes in areas such as trade, investment, security, education, and technology. She also addressed consular frictions, condemning prolonged visa delays for Nigerians and urging dispatch efficiency and transparency in consular matters.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu reaffirmed Nigeria's adherence to the Vienna Conventions in protecting diplomatic personnel and premises, urging missions to promptly report security concerns. She emphasized Nigeria's openness to trade, investment, and technology partnership, but stressed the importance of sovereign equality and reciprocity. Nigeria remains actively involved in various international forums, including ECOWAS, AU, UN, and Commonwealth, and continues to advocate for a stronger African voice in global affairs.