Nigerian Embassies Grapple with Unpaid Debts, FG Promises Financial Reforms

The Federal Government has acknowledged that numerous Nigerian diplomatic and consular missions abroad are facing significant financial and operational challenges, including unpaid staff salaries, mounting rent arrears, and outstanding debts to various service providers. This admission came from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, in a statement released on Monday.

Ebienfa clarified that the financial difficulties stemmed from years of inadequate budgetary allocations and shortfalls, which have been exacerbated by Nigeria’s broader economic situation. The ministry noted that these financial limitations have severely hampered the ability of missions to operate effectively and fulfill their core diplomatic and consular duties.

The government assured Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora that the welfare of diplomatic staff and their families is a top priority for the President Bola Tinubu administration. To address the crisis, the government has approved and released special intervention funds. A committee was also established to assess the debt profiles of the affected missions, ensuring that over 80 per cent of available funds are cleared for payment, with priority given to service providers and salaries of locally recruited staff.

Furthermore, the ministry is engaging with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Finance, and the Central Bank of Nigeria to recover shortfalls from the 2024 fiscal year due to foreign exchange fluctuations. The government has approved the settlement of this shortfall, with the first tranche already remitted to all missions. The ministry is also working on a sustainable financial model to ensure the long-term operational stability of its diplomatic missions abroad.