Financial Woes Plague Nigerian Embassies

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that Nigeria’s Diplomatic Missions abroad are grappling with severe financial difficulties.

Budgetary shortfalls and foreign exchange volatility have left the ministry unable to pay locally recruited staff, service providers, and landlords, or meet allowances for home-based officers.

The financial strain has resulted in unpaid salaries for locally recruited staff, causing significant hardship for employees and their families.

Embassies owe substantial amounts to landlords, with some facing possible closure due to unpaid ground rents.

Service providers, including utility companies and contractors, have begun issuing threats of legal action.

The Government has stepped in to address the crisis. The Minister of Foreign Affairs has released special intervention funds to cushion the effects of the hardship faced by some missions.

Over 80% of available funds have already been disbursed to prioritize service providers, local staff salaries, and arrears owed to officers.

A verification committee has been established to review the debt profiles of affected missions and ensure transparency in the allocation of funds.

The Government has also approved second-semester allocations, which will be released this week in coordination with the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working to develop a sustainable financial framework to secure consistent funding for foreign missions.

This framework aligns with broader fiscal reforms aimed at enhancing fiscal governance and ensuring effective allocation of resources.

The Government is committed to finding a long-term solution to the financial challenges facing Nigerian embassies abroad.