India has declined to accept one of Nigeria’s newly nominated ambassadors, citing diplomatic policy that restricts approval of envoys from administrations with less than two years left in office.
Ambassador Muhammad Dahiru, a career diplomat nominated by President Bola Tinubu to serve in New Delhi, is among those affected.
Sources within Nigeria’s Presidency and the foreign service confirmed that India has indicated reluctance to grant agrément for his posting.
“They don’t accept an ambassador from an administration that has less than two years in office. So they are giving us that body language already,” a Presidency source said.
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The development incited fears that other countries may adopt similar positions, potentially delaying Nigeria’s plan to restore ambassadorial representation across its foreign missions.
Under diplomatic protocol, host nations must grant formal approval before a nominated envoy can assume duties and without this consent, ambassadors cannot be officially deployed.
India’s stance is the most explicit so far, with Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs now monitoring reactions from other capitals to assess the wider impact on its diplomatic strategy.