The House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs has summoned the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar and the Heads of Nigeria’s foreign missions, to appear before it and explain the utilization of funds released to the missions in 2025.
The Committee, in a letter dated July 24, 2025, and signed by its Chairman, Oluwole Oke, invoked its powers under Sections 88 and 89 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), demanding detailed financial records from the missions to ensure accountability in the management of public funds.
DAILY POST reports that Nigeria’s foreign missions have long faced financial challenges, resulting in inadequate consular services to Nigerians abroad and allegations of corruption among mission officials.
Recall that earlier in 2025, the Committee started probing a contract scandal involving the alleged mismanagement of $2 million intended for the renovation of Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations’ residence in New York.
The missions, according to the letter, are expected to submit several key documents, including: Approved budgets from 2024 to 2025; Budget performance reports for the same period; Details of special intervention funds released between 2018 and 2025 and how they were applied; and Staff nominal rolls for both home-based and locally recruited employees.
“The Honourable Minister is kindly requested to bring the contents of this letter to the attention of all Heads of Missions,” the letter stated.
However, another document dated July 3, 2025, signed by the Director of Funds on behalf of the Accountant-General of the Federation, revealed that the Tinubu administration had released a total of $54 million to support the operations of Nigeria’s 103 embassies and high commissions.
The breakdown showed that $46.14 million was earmarked for overhead costs, $9.58 million for personnel expenses, and $282,829 for other overhead allocations.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Oke hailed President Bola Tinubu for the timely financial intervention, noting that it would help revive the country’s foreign missions and enhance Nigeria’s global image.
