FG Urges New Ambassadors to Align Missions With Economic Goals
By Patience Ikpeme
The Federal Government is advising newly appointed ambassadors and diplomatic representatives to work closely with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
This step aims to help them fully understand Nigeria’s economic goals before they take up their posts abroad.
The Ambassador-Designate to Germany, Senator Ita Enang, gave this advice to his colleagues. He explained that knowing the country’s development needs will help them attract the right kind of business and support from their host nations.
According to a statement from the ministry on Sunday, Enang shared these thoughts in Abuja over the weekend during a visit to the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, and the Minister of State, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite.
“Similar engagements by other ambassadors-designate and diplomatic representatives before their deployment to missions worldwide will provide valuable insights into Nigeria’s policy priorities and development aspirations,” Enang said.
Enang thanked President Bola Tinubu for his appointment, noting that the meeting is part of a direct presidential order. This order requires new ambassadors to visit key government offices so they can learn exactly how to protect and promote Nigeria’s interests abroad. He described the briefing as highly informative and very helpful for his upcoming move to Germany.
He also mentioned a recent Nigeria-Germany economic meeting, pointing out that Germany is a major partner for Nigeria in areas like electricity, infrastructure, technical training, and steady development.
“A key aspect of my mandate will be to strengthen collaboration between Nigeria and Germany, including engagement on the Presidential Power Initiative, partnerships with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), and other development institutions supporting Nigeria’s growth and reform agenda,” Enang added.
Welcoming the new ambassador, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, praised Enang for taking the time to learn about the ministry’s goals. He noted that the visit was a great chance to look at how Nigeria’s embassies can support the country’s financial goals overseas.
Bagudu explained that his ministry acts as the government’s main planning hub. It makes sure all government policies line up, directs investments toward national goals, and watches global economic trends to find new opportunities for Nigeria.
The minister spoke on the importance of making sure that foreign partnerships, investments, migration policies, and agreements match up with Nigeria’s long-term plans, like the Nigeria Agenda 2050.
“Sustained engagement with strategically important countries, such as Germany, remains critical to Nigeria’s ambition to build a one-trillion-dollar economy, supported by increased investment, technology transfer, industrial collaboration, and development partnerships,” Bagudu said.
The minister also praised the long friendship between Nigeria and Germany, noting that German institutions, the European Union, and international partners have contributed greatly to Nigeria’s progress.
