President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated three seasoned security and diplomatic figures as Nigeria’s next ambassadors to the United States, the United Kingdom and France, pending Senate confirmation.

Those nominated are Ambassador Ayodele Oke, retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are and Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu. Their postings will be finalised after the screening exercise at the National Assembly.

Presidency insiders described the choices as strategic, noting that the three countries play major roles in Nigeria’s security, economic and diplomatic engagements. “These appointments show the President’s intention to strengthen Nigeria’s presence in key global capitals,” a senior official familiar with the process said.

Ambassador Dalhatu previously served as Nigeria’s envoy to South Korea, a position he first assumed in 2016 under the Buhari administration. His recall to diplomatic service is seen as a move to deepen Nigeria’s economic and technological relations with advanced economies.

Ambassador Ayodele Oke, a former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency and an alumnus of Emory University in Atlanta, is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most experienced intelligence diplomats. He once represented the country at the Secretariat of the Commonwealth of Nations in London. A diplomatic observer in Abuja noted that “Oke’s background in intelligence gives Nigeria an edge in managing sensitive global engagements.”

Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are, who led the State Security Service from 1999 to 2007 and later served as National Security Adviser in 2010, is expected to bring decades of national security experience to Nigeria’s diplomatic front line. A former colleague described him as “a meticulous strategist who understands both the military and diplomatic landscapes.”

The nominations reflect what analysts say is President Tinubu’s deliberate attempt to place seasoned hands in countries critical to Nigeria’s geopolitical and economic interests. The Senate is expected to begin screening the nominees in the coming days.