‘No Ambassador In Washington,’ Ex-Envoy Challenges Nigeria-Us Relations

Ambassador Ayoola Olukanni has raised concerns about the state of Nigeria’s relationship with the United States following Donald Trump’s swearing-in as the 47th U.S. President.

Olukanni, a former Nigerian ambassador to Austria, highlighted Nigeria's lack of an ambassador in Washington as a significant hurdle to fostering stronger ties with the U.S.

Speaking on a popular TV show on Tuesday, Olukanni said, “Unfortunately, the Trump administration came in yesterday, and there’s no ambassador in Washington, no ambassador in the UK, New York, France, or Russia. How do we expect to engage the Trump administration without an ambassador on the ground in Washington?”

The diplomat further noted that Trump’s perceived lack of interest in Africa raises additional challenges for Nigeria's foreign policy goals.