The federal government has reversed its decision to evaluate the number of foreign missions.
Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced the 22nd edition of the PMB Administration Scorecard Series (2015-2023) in Abuja.
The federal government established a 13-member presidential commission in October last year, led by Ambassador Martin Uhomoibi, to assess the number of the country’s diplomatic posts worldwide and their level of chronic indebtedness.
However, Onyeama warned that reducing the number of foreign embassies could jeopardize Nigeria’s ambition for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council and cause difficulties in reimbursing local workers affected by any layoffs.
He stated that downsizing overseas embassies is not an option because many Nigerian citizens who do business in other countries will also want consular support and assistance.
He warned that it would take millions of dollars to close one mission in one country and pay out the local workers due to existing local pensions and other rules.
In support of his thesis, Onyeama stated that South Africa has 103 embassies and 96 consulates, equivalent to Nigeria’s -110 foreign missions, while Egypt has 125 embassies and 30 consulates, Algeria 96, and Morocco 97 embassies.
He also explained President Muhammadu Buhari’s 51 international trips since 2015, saying he utilized them to engage with other leaders and maintain confidence.
