Nigeria’s Foreign Missions Grapple with Rent Arrears, Salary Backlogs Amid Funding Shortfalls

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that several Nigerian diplomatic and consular missions abroad are struggling to meet financial obligations, including rent, staff salaries, and service payments, due to prolonged budgetary constraints.

In a statement on Monday, September 1, 2025, ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa acknowledged that the missions have been hit hard by years of underfunding and the ripple effects of Nigeria’s wider economic challenges.

“The Ministry is not unaware of the restrictions that financial limitations have placed on the smooth running of the missions, including the inability to pay salaries of locally recruited staff, financial obligations to service providers, rent to landlords, and the foreign service allowance to home-based officers,” the statement said.

Root Causes and Government Response

The ministry attributed the crisis to budgetary shortfalls that have undermined the ability of Nigerian missions to deliver core diplomatic and consular services. It stressed that the challenges mirror the economic realities at home, which continue to strain government operations.

To address the problem, the Tinubu administration has reportedly released special intervention funds to cushion the hardship faced by affected missions. A committee has also been set up to review and verify the debt profile of each mission to ensure transparency and fairness in payments.

According to the ministry, more than 80% of available funds have already been cleared for disbursement, with priority given to outstanding salaries of locally recruited staff, payments to service providers, and arrears owed to home-based officers.

FX Pressures Worsen Shortfalls

The ministry further noted that recent monetary policy shifts, particularly exchange rate harmonisation, had deepened the financial strain by eroding mission budgets.

“The Ministry has engaged the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation in obtaining refunds for the shortfall in missions’ allocations in the 2024 fiscal year due to foreign exchange differentials associated with the new monetary policy and the harmonisation of exchange rates,” the statement read.

It confirmed that the first tranche of refunds had been remitted, with some missions already acknowledging receipt, while second-semester allocations have also been approved.

Looking Ahead

Beyond immediate relief, the ministry said it is working on a long-term financial model that would ensure sustainable funding for missions abroad, aligned with ongoing public sector reforms.

It reassured Nigerians in the diaspora and international partners that the government remains committed to the smooth functioning of its diplomatic outposts.

“We are confident that the current challenges are temporary and will be overcome through the concerted efforts of this administration,” the statement concluded, commending the resilience of diplomatic staff and the patience of host governments and service providers during the crisis.