Nigeria has urged diplomatic missions accredited to the country to strictly observe established diplomatic channels in their official dealings with the Federal Government, warning that attempts to bypass the Ministry of Foreign Affairs could undermine coordination, policy consistency and national security.
The call was made by Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in an article titled “Stop Dialing Around Us in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Nigeria Is Hospitable, Not Helpless.” The intervention comes amid concerns over what he described as a growing practice by some embassy officials of contacting the Presidency, ministers and heads of government agencies directly by telephone instead of routing official requests through the Ministry.
Enikanolaiye said diplomatic engagement required not only substantive discussions but also adherence to established procedures, stressing that proper diplomatic channels were designed to facilitate, rather than frustrate, relations between Nigeria and foreign missions.
According to him, some embassy officials have increasingly resorted to direct telephone calls to the State House, ministers and heads of agencies to pursue official matters without first transmitting a Note Verbale to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He said the practice was inconsistent with diplomatic procedure and the principle of mutual respect governing relations between sovereign states.
The diplomat said he had recently commended ASEAN countries accredited to Nigeria for their adherence to established diplomatic channels, stressing that such compliance strengthened bilateral partnerships rather than creating unnecessary barriers.
His position, he said, was reinforced during an interactive session with the Diplomatic Corps on September 17, 2026, when the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, held her first formal briefing with members of the diplomatic community since assuming office as substantive minister.
Enikanolaiye said the Minister made it clear that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remained the diplomatic home and official bridge between foreign missions and the Nigerian Government, while assuring diplomats that the Ministry’s doors and appropriate channels remained open.
“The Ministry is not an obstacle between you and the Nigerian Government; we are your bridge to the Nigerian Government,” the diplomat quoted the Minister as saying.
He explained that the Federal Government had also taken steps to simplify diplomatic operations and make it easier for newly appointed ambassadors and high commissioners to commence their duties without unnecessary delays.
According to him, a newly appointed ambassador or high commissioner can begin official functions after submitting the copie d’usage, the working copy of the Letters of Credence, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, without waiting for the formal presentation of credentials to the President.
Enikanolaiye said the arrangement allows newly appointed envoys to engage Ministries, Departments and Agencies and conduct bilateral business, except for functions and ceremonies requiring their appearance before the President, pending the formal presentation of their Letters of Credence.
He argued that the administrative flexibility granted to diplomatic missions was extended in good faith and should therefore be matched by respect for established diplomatic procedures.
The diplomat also cited the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, particularly Article 41, as the international legal basis for routing official business through the foreign ministry of the receiving state.
Article 41(1) requires persons enjoying diplomatic privileges and immunities to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving state and not interfere in its internal affairs, while Article 41(2) provides that official business entrusted to a diplomatic mission must be conducted with or through the receiving state’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or another ministry as mutually agreed.
Nigeria is a party to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, having ratified the convention in 1967. United Nations treaty records list Nigeria’s ratification on June 14, 1967.
Enikanolaiye maintained that the requirement was therefore not merely an internal administrative preference but part of the framework governing diplomatic relations.
He said the Ministry’s role was to coordinate engagements between diplomatic missions and the Presidency, Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as other government institutions.
He explained that routing official communications through the Ministry enables government to maintain institutional memory, provide diplomatic and policy context, coordinate responses and ensure appropriate follow-up.
According to him, bypassing the Ministry could result in conflicting information, duplication of efforts and avoidable misunderstandings between foreign missions and Nigerian authorities.
He further stressed the principle of reciprocity, noting that Nigerian diplomatic missions abroad were similarly expected to respect the established channels of communication in their host countries.
“If you want Nigeria’s diplomats to respect protocol in your capitals, you should respect protocol in ours,” he stated.
Enikanolaiye also raised concerns over the alleged misuse of diplomatic number plates by individuals who are not authorised to use them.
He said diplomatic plates were provided by the receiving state to facilitate legitimate diplomatic functions and should not be used to evade traffic regulations or law-enforcement procedures.
According to him, misuse of diplomatic plates could create security concerns and negatively affect the reputation of the diplomatic community.
The diplomat identified several risks associated with what he described as “backdoor diplomacy,” including the possibility of undermining coordinated foreign policy advice to the President.
He argued that when diplomatic missions approach the Presidency directly without involving the Ministry, senior government officials may receive requests without the benefit of the Ministry’s institutional knowledge, legal assessment and broader foreign-policy context.
He also warned that informal commitments by individual government officials could create confusion if they conflict with established government policy or the position of another ministry or agency.
On national security, Enikanolaiye said bypassing established procedures could reduce opportunities for appropriate coordination and vetting of sensitive requests.
He further argued that informal approaches could weaken transparency and inter-agency scrutiny, while exposing senior officials to one-sided representations without the historical and institutional context ordinarily provided by the Ministry.
The diplomat linked the issue to the broader foreign-policy direction of the Tinubu administration, which, according to the Minister’s briefing, is anchored on the four Ds of Demography, Development, Democracy and Diaspora.
He said the four pillars place Nigerians and Nigeria’s national interests at the centre of the country’s international engagement.
Under the framework, Nigeria seeks to harness the potential of its youthful population through education, technology, innovation, entrepreneurship and skills development, while using economic diplomacy to promote trade, investment, infrastructure, agriculture, energy and technology.
The democracy component, he said, reflects Nigeria’s commitment to constitutional governance, strong institutions and peaceful resolution of political differences, while the diaspora pillar recognises Nigerians abroad as important partners in investment, knowledge transfer and national development.
Enikanolaiye said the policy direction was “Nigeria-centred, Africa-conscious and globally engaged,” with continued commitment to Nigeria’s neighbours, ECOWAS and the African continent, alongside constructive engagement with countries and institutions worldwide.
He also highlighted the administration’s emphasis on strategic autonomy in international relations, explaining that the concept did not mean isolation but the preservation of Nigeria’s sovereign ability to determine partnerships and positions based on national interest, mutual respect, reciprocity and international obligations.
He said the Ministry was also seeking to revitalise outstanding Joint Commissions and Bi-national Commissions between Nigeria and other countries, some of which, he noted, had become inactive because of administrative and logistical challenges.
According to him, renewed attention to those mechanisms would help advance cooperation in areas including trade, investment, security, education, technology, health and agriculture.
The diplomat said the effectiveness of Nigeria’s diplomatic relationships should ultimately be measured by tangible benefits delivered to Nigerians rather than solely by the frequency of high-level visits or the cordiality of diplomatic engagements.
Enikanolaiye consequently urged diplomatic missions to make full use of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in pursuing official engagements with the Nigerian Government.
He said Nigeria remained open to international partnerships and foreign investment but stressed that openness must operate within an orderly institutional framework.
“Nigeria is warm, generous, and open for partnership. But our hospitality must not be mistaken for weakness,” he said.
He summarised the preferred diplomatic communication route as: “Embassy → Note Verbale → MFA → MDA/Presidency → MFA → Embassy.”
He added that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Nigeria remained open for business and international cooperation, but that such openness must be accompanied by respect for diplomatic procedure.
Enikanolaiye concluded with a direct appeal to foreign missions: “Drop the phone. Pick up the pen. Write the Note Verbale.”
