Former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode says President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved his redeployment as Nigeria’s Ambassador-Designate to South Africa, following weeks of speculation about his diplomatic assignment.
The announcement came after Tinubu initially posted Fani-Kayode to Germany in the March 2026 ambassadorial list. Fani-Kayode now says he personally requested the change.
Why He Requested the Change
In a statement released on Thursday, Fani-Kayode explained that he was not comfortable with the Germany posting due to personal reasons. He said he has lived most of his life in Europe and preferred to serve in an African country that aligns with his political views.
“I would rather serve in a country that shares some of my convictions, beliefs and values… that has the biggest economy in Africa, that has closer ties to Nigeria, and that is more proximate to my pan-African vision,” he stated.
According to him, he formally applied for the redeployment two days after the initial announcement. The request was reviewed by then-Foreign Minister Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, who forwarded it to President Tinubu for approval.
Fani-Kayode also revealed that Senator Sam Enang, who was originally posted to South Africa, agreed to swap positions and take Germany instead.
The former minister strongly denied claims that the German government rejected his nomination, calling the reports “a total and complete fabrication based on hearsay, beer parlour talk and cheap gossip.”
He said the allegations were designed to embarrass him, the Federal Government, and President Tinubu. Fani-Kayode added that he has petitioned security agencies and briefed his lawyers to pursue a civil defamation lawsuit against the online platform responsible.
“If there was such a formal rejection I challenge them to bring the proof with documentary evidence. This never happened,” he said.
As of today, there has been *no official confirmation* from the Presidency or Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the redeployment to South Africa. The most recent official posting list from March 2026 still shows Fani-Kayode assigned to Germany and Enang to South Africa.
Fani-Kayode was one of 32 ambassadorial nominees sent to the Senate by President Tinubu in December 2025 and was later confirmed for a non-career ambassadorial role.
Fani-Kayode said he looks forward to serving in South Africa, describing it as a nation he “admires and respects given its remarkable and inspiring history.”
For now, the clarification puts to rest days of speculation, but Nigerians await an official update from the Federal Government.
