ABUJA, Nigeria – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has admitted that several Nigerian embassies are struggling with unpaid salaries, rising debts, and rent arrears, but says President Bola Tinubu has approved relief funds to ease the crisis.
In a statement on Tuesday, ministry spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa said years of budget shortfalls have undermined operations abroad, leaving diplomats and locally recruited staff unpaid.
“Our missions are not immune to Nigeria’s economic challenges. Budgetary limitations have significantly affected their ability to function optimally,” he noted.
According to the ministry, the government has released intervention funds, with more than 80% cleared for payments, prioritising staff salaries, service providers, and arrears owed to officers.
Officials said additional allocations would offset exchange rate losses, and a long-term funding framework is being developed to stabilise embassies.
The ministry praised the resilience of staff and thanked host governments for their cooperation, stressing that “the current challenges are temporary and will be overcome through the efforts of this administration.”
