Nigerian Ambassadors’ Salaries Revealed

Following the recent submission of a major list of ambassadorial nominees by President Bola Tinubu, popular TV personality Oseni Rufai has shed light on the monthly compensation structure for Nigerian ambassadors. The nominations included prominent figures such as former INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu and former Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Rufai explained that the remuneration for a Nigerian ambassador, as a senior Foreign Service Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is primarily governed by the Consolidated Diplomatic, Consular and Foreign Service Cadre Salary Structure, known as CONPSS. This is the standardized salary structure for the public service.

Ambassadors typically occupy the highest grade levels within this structure, often Grade Level 17 or its equivalent, but their final take-home pay is significantly inflated by substantial allowances related to overseas postings. The basic salary itself is considered modest by international diplomatic standards.

Based on available government budget data and salary surveys, the Arise TV journalist detailed the basic pay. He stated that the monthly basic salary for an ambassador falls approximately within the range of N800,000 to N1,200,000, which translates to roughly $485 to $727 USD, based on the November 2025 exchange rate of N1,650 per dollar.

This figure is drawn from the upper echelons of the CONPSS scale for top-tier diplomatic officers. Rufai clarified that while entry-level foreign service officers start at a monthly range of N300,000 to N500,000, ambassadors, being at the pinnacle of the career ladder, command the stated upper end.

The annual basic salary for an ambassador is therefore calculated to be between N9.6 million and N14.4 million, or approximately $5,818 to $8,727 USD. These figures are generally aligned with public sector pay for Grade Level 17 officers, adjusted for inflation and the 2025 minimum wage increase to N70,000.

However, Rufai emphasized that the basic pay alone does not reflect the total compensation package. Diplomats receive significant allowances designed to cover high living costs abroad, hardship differentials, and essential representational duties that form a core part of their posting.

The result of these substantial extras is that the total monthly take-home pay for Nigerian ambassadors posted overseas often exceeds N2 million to N5 million. This total compensation in dollars, roughly $1,212 to $3,030 USD, varies significantly depending on the cost of living and specific hardship factors of the host country.