By Sola Enikanolaiye
In diplomacy, process is as important as substance. It is in this spirit that I wish to draw attention to a growing practice in Abuja which, though often well-intentioned, runs contrary to established diplomatic procedure and the spirit of mutual respect that guides our relations.
It has become increasingly common for some Embassy officials, rather than transmitting a Note Verbale to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as required by international law and custom, they reach out directly by telephone to the State House, Honourable Ministers, or heads of agencies to pursue official matters, thereby bypassing the Ministry entirely.
At a recent meeting where I praised the ASEAN nations in Nigeria for upholding diplomatic protocol in this regard, I noted that adherence to proper channels strengthens, rather than hinders, partnership, I stressed: “Going forward, strict compliance with diplomatic channels will be expected…”
This was shortly before the important interactive session we had with the Diplomatic Community on Thursday 17th September 2026, when the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, convened her first formal briefing with the Corps since assuming office as substantive Minister.
Her message was clear, candid and timely. I associate myself fully with it: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is your diplomatic home. Our doors and appropriate channels remain open, but established diplomatic channels must be respected.
Government has simplified our diplomatic operations: It is important to acknowledge that the Federal Government has significantly simplified diplomatic operations in Nigeria to make the work of missions easier and to avoid any vacuum in representation.
Today, a newly appointed Ambassador or High Commissioner is allowed to commence official functions and operate fully as soon as he or she submits the copie d’usage, the working copy of Letters of Credence to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, without waiting for the formal presentation to Mr. President.
The new envoy is therefore at liberty to perform his or her duties, engage Ministries, Departments and Agencies and conduct bilateral matters, save only for events and ceremonies that would bring such envoy before Mr. President, until after the formal presentation of Letters of Credence.
This facilitation was granted in good faith and in trust. That trust should be reciprocated with strict adherence to protocol.
The Vienna Convention Is Clear: As custodians of diplomacy, we are all bound by the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961): Article 41(1):”…it is the duty of all persons enjoying such privileges and immunities to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving State. They also have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of that State.”
Article 41(2): “All official business with the receiving State, entrusted to the mission by the sending State, shall be conducted with or through the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the receiving State or such other ministry as may be agreed.”
There is no exception for influence, familiarity, or access. To bypass the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to violate a treaty we all signed.
The Ministry As A Bridge, Not An Obstacle: As the Honourable Minister emphasized during her briefing, and I reiterate: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains the official channel of communication between Diplomatic Missions and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, including the Presidency, Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies and other Government institutions.
Missions must ensure that official communications and requests intended for these institutions are routed through the Ministry. This is not intended to impede access or create unnecessary bureaucracy. Rather, it ensures proper coordination, consistency and effective follow-up. The Ministry provides the institutional memory, diplomatic expertise and policy context necessary to support such engagements.
Bypassing established channels risks conflicting information, duplication and avoidable misunderstandings.
There is also an important principle of reciprocity. Just as Nigerian Missions abroad are expected to respect the diplomatic channels of their host governments, we expect the same consideration for Nigeria’s institutions.
As Amb. Bianca aptly put it: “The Ministry is not an obstacle between you and the Nigerian Government; we are your bridge to the Nigerian Government.”
The Abuse of Diplomatic Plates Must End: Equally worrisome is the increasing use of diplomatic number plates by unauthorized individuals who are not entitled to them under the Convention. This is a clear breach of Article 41(1).
Diplomatic plates are issued in trust by the receiving State to facilitate legitimate mission functions, not as a means to evade traffic regulations or law enforcement. This abuse creates security risks and brings the diplomatic corps into disrepute. It must stop.
Why This Backdoor Diplomacy Is Dangerous: Respect is reciprocal. If you want Nigeria’s diplomats to respect protocol in your capitals, you should respect protocol in ours. 1. Not doing so undermines the President: When embassies lobby the State House behind the MFA’s back, they deny the President the benefit of vetted, professional foreign policy advice.
- It creates policy confusion: If a mission secures a phone promise from an MDA while the MFA’s official position differs, which one stands? The result is embarrassment for everyone.
- It is a national security threat: Bypassing the MFA means bypassing security vetting. Sensitive requests slip through informal calls.
- It breeds corruption of process: Backdoor calls are used to push positions and interests that would not survive transparency and glinteragency scrutiny.
- It insults our national institutions: The MFA is not a post office. It is the sole legal gateway for state-to-state communication.
- It destroys reciprocity: The precedent we allow in Abuja becomes the treatment our envoys will receive abroad. If we accept bypassing the MFA to lobby the Villa in Abuja, should Nigeria expect to bypass the Presidency and Palaces of other sovereigns? The answer, in every capital, is No.
- It erodes trust:_When backdoor promises collapse — as they often do — missions blame Nigeria for “not keeping its words,” when no official word was ever given.
- It exposes senior officials to manipulation:_A direct call presents only one side of the story, without history, legal context, or institutional memory. The MFA exists to provide that balance.
Nigeria’s Foreign Policy Direction and Our Commitment: As Amb Bianca Ojukwu outlined, the foreign policy direction of the Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is anchored on the four Ds: Demography, Development, Democracy and Diaspora.
Through Demography, we seek to harness the potential of our youthful population through education, technology, innovation, entrepreneurship and skills development. Development places economic diplomacy at the heart of our international engagement, with emphasis on trade, investment, infrastructure, agriculture, energy and technology. Democracy reflects our commitment to constitutional governance, strong institutions and the peaceful resolution of political differences, while Diaspora recognizes Nigerians abroad as important partners and assets in investment, knowledge transfer and national development.
These pillars place Nigeria and Nigerians at the center of our foreign policy.
Our approach is therefore Nigeria-centered, Africa-conscious and globally engaged. We remain committed to our neighbours, ECOWAS and Africa, while engaging constructively with the wider international community.
Nigeria will equally continue to exercise strategic autonomy in its international relations. We seek friendship and cooperation with all nations, but our positions and partnerships will be guided by our national interest, mutual respect, reciprocity and our international obligations. Strategic autonomy does not mean isolation; it means preserving Nigeria’s sovereign right to determine the relationships and positions that best serve our people, Amb Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu pointed out.
In the same manner, she noted that the Ministry is also paying renewed attention to outstanding Joint Commissions and Bi-national Commissions, some of which have remained inactive due to administrative and logistical challenges. We intend to work with Missions to revitalize these mechanisms and use them more effectively to advance cooperation in trade, investment, security, education, technology, health, agriculture and other areas of mutual interest.
Ultimately, the strength of our diplomatic relationships should be measured not only by the warmth of our engagements, or the number of visits by Heads of State to Nigeria but by the tangible benefits our engagement must produce for our people.
Nigeria Is Hospitable, Not Helpless: Nigeria is warm, generous, and open for partnership. But our hospitality must not be mistaken for weakness. Nigeria remains a willing, capable and strategic partner. Do not bypass the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to lobby the Villa. My Ministry’s job is to make your work easy. Use us.
The proper channel remains: _Embassy Note Verbale MFA MDA/Presidency MFA Embassy.
Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Nigeria is open for business. But openness requires order. Drop the phone. Pick up the pen. Write the Note Verbale.
Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye writes in from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
