President Bola Tinubu has approved the redeployment of Femi Fani-Kayode as Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to South Africa.
The development follows earlier reports that Fani-Kayode had initially been posted to Germany.
However, in a statement shared on his X account, the former minister said the redeployment was based on his personal request and not due to rejection by the German government.
According to him, he formally informed the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, that he preferred South Africa for personal and ideological reasons.
Fani-Kayode explained that having spent much of his life in Europe, he wanted to serve in a country within Africa that aligned more closely with his political and diplomatic beliefs.
He described South Africa as a nation with strong ties to Nigeria, a major African economy, and a country that fits his pan-African vision on foreign affairs.
The former minister added that his request was favourably considered by Tuggar before it was forwarded to the President for approval.
He expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for approving the redeployment.
The appointment is expected to attract attention given the diplomatic importance of Nigeria–South Africa relations, particularly in areas of trade, migration, and regional politics.
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