PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari is considering reducing the number of Nigerian foreign missions as part of his ongoing cost-cutting drive aimed at reducing the cost of governance and restoring Nigeria's finances to a healthy state.
At the moment, Nigeria has about 119 embassies and high commissions but many of them may have to close with their services rendered by missions in neighbouring countries. President Buhari plans to set up a committee to undertake a review of the missions and determine those that are really essential.
Bulus Lolo, the permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said a presidential committee would soon be established to carry out the review. He added that the review would determine the number of essential missions Nigeria needs to maintain abroad so that appropriate standards and quality can be maintained.
This year, it is anticipated that Nigeria will spend N34bn (£110m) to run all of its missions. President Buhari is of the opinion that there is no point operating missions all over the world with dilapidated facilities and demoralized staff when the need for some of the missions was questionable.
President Buhari said: "Let’s keep only what we can manage as we can’t afford much for now. There’s no point in pretending.”
Also, the president called for the record of former government officials and other persons still using diplomatic and official passports illegally, saying his administration will take necessary action against them. Mr Lolo told President Buhari that the challenges facing the ministry of foreign affairs include the absence of a foreign service commission, poor funding of foreign missions, policy inconsistencies and training deficiencies, among others.
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