The House of Representatives has raised serious concern over the deteriorating condition of Nigerian diplomatic missions in the United States, describing the situation as both embarrassing and damaging to the country’s international image.
This follows a recent oversight visit by members of the Nigeria–United States Parliamentary Friendship Group to Nigeria’s missions in New York, Atlanta, and Washington D.C., led by Hon. Okey-Joe Onuakalusi.
Presenting a motion of urgent public importance on the matter, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, supported by 21 other lawmakers, lamented the administrative decay and systemic dysfunction plaguing the missions.
According to the motion, the Nigerian Mission House in New York is reportedly struggling to pay its rent and has left over 30 staff members without salaries for more than a year. In Washington D.C., lawmakers revealed that the embassy’s elevator was only restored after a private Nigerian citizen volunteered to fix it — a situation they said highlights the deep neglect of the country’s foreign service operations.
The lawmakers argued that the current state of these missions runs contrary to Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives as outlined in Section 19 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which include the promotion of national interest, African integration, international cooperation, and a just world economic order.
They stressed that Nigerian diplomatic missions are meant to foster bilateral relations, offer consular services, and protect the interests of Nigerians abroad.
However, the state of disrepair and dysfunction at key U.S. missions reflects a gross failure in fulfilling these responsibilities.
Of particular concern, the House noted that Nigeria has failed to appoint both a Permanent Representative to the United Nations and a High Commissioner to the United States for two consecutive years.
This leadership vacuum, they warned, is undermining Nigeria’s diplomatic engagement and damaging its bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.
Despite annual budgetary allocations for foreign missions — covering operational costs, maintenance, and staff welfare — the lawmakers observed that the depreciation of the naira has rendered these funds insufficient, leading to financial shortfalls and operational breakdowns.
The House warned that continued neglect, mismanagement, and administrative decay not only risk Nigeria’s diplomatic relevance but also breach the country’s obligations to its citizens abroad and its international commitments.
In response, the House mandated its Committee on Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the Nigeria–U.S. Parliamentary Friendship Group, to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the financial, administrative, and infrastructural condition of Nigeria’s missions in New York, Atlanta, and Washington D.C.
The investigation is expected to uncover the root causes of the salary delays, operational failures, and any mismanagement of funds appropriated for the missions.
