Fashola urges FG to equip ambassadors with policy depth, intelligence

Former Lagos State Governor and ex-Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has called for a fundamental rethinking of Nigeria’s ambassadorial appointments, urging the Federal Government to prioritise deep policy knowledge, investment intelligence and proactive economic diplomacy in the deployment of envoys abroad.

Fashola made the call on Tuesday in Abuja while delivering the keynote address at the Nigeria Reputation Summit 2026, organised by the Nigeria Reputation Management Group (NRMG), a private sector–driven initiative of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

The summit had as its theme, ‘Better Nigeria, Better Reputation’.

Speaking from personal experience, Fashola recounted an official visit to an African country during his time as a minister, where he discovered that Nigeria’s ambassador in the host country lacked adequate knowledge of Nigeria’s policy positions in the sector he was visiting.

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“We have ambassadors, and I’m going to make my recommendation based on my own experience. Over dinner, preparatory to my meeting, I shared the purpose of my visit, which was a ministry-related sector issue. Ultimately, it turned out that the ambassador had no clue what Nigeria’s position on those matters were,” he said.

According to him, the recent appointment of ambassadors presents an opportunity for structured and continuous engagement to properly equip them with up-to-date information on Nigeria’s fiscal policies, tax laws, investment incentives, oil and gas reforms, solid minerals, and business environment.

“Our ambassadors must have handy knowledge and information to really represent us. How long does it take to register a business in Nigeria? They must know that”, he noted.

He described such capacity-building as urgent and ongoing, calling on the Minister of Information and National Orientation to liaise with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to immediately commence a coordinated briefing process for Nigeria’s diplomatic corps.

Beyond policy literacy, Fashola also criticised what he described as a misplaced approach to economic diplomacy, where ambassadors frequently invite Nigerian ministers to visit their countries instead of attracting foreign investors to Nigeria.

“Very often, I would get letters from ambassadors asking us to come and visit the countries where they were posted. Unfortunately, most of those letters ended up in my drawer. If there was a problem of development at all, it was here, not there”, he said.

He argued that Nigeria’s ambassadors should focus on persuading potential investors to visit Nigeria to experience its market, climate and opportunities firsthand, rather than relying on presentations abroad.

“Our ambassadors must invite people to come and visit Nigeria, not the other way around,” he said, adding that national development would be better served by inbound investment missions driven by embassies.

In his address, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, underscored the strategic importance of reputation management in Nigeria’s foreign relations and ambassadorial effectiveness.

Idris noted that the summit came shortly after the unveiling of Nigeria’s first National Reputation Perception Index by the NIPR, describing the report as a critical tool for action rather than condemnation.

“A reputation score of 35.2 per cent places Nigeria in a low-trust band. This is not a verdict; it is a mirror. Responsible nations must have the courage to look into that mirror and act”, the minister said.

He highlighted reforms undertaken under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, including fiscal discipline measures, infrastructure expansion, security reforms and economic restructuring, noting that perception often lags behind reality.

The minister stressed that Nigeria’s ambassadors have a crucial role to play in aligning global narratives with domestic progress, especially amid what he described as misleading reports about religious intolerance and insecurity.

“Redeeming Nigeria’s image is a national call to duty,” Idris said, adding that effective diplomacy, truthful communication and coordinated stakeholder engagement were essential to restoring international confidence.

The summit brought together public relations professionals, policymakers and private sector leaders to chart pathways for improving Nigeria’s global standing through credible governance, strategic communication and effective diplomacy.