The Federal Government has urged Nigerian ambassadors-designate and diplomatic representatives to engage closely with the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning before assuming their foreign postings.

The call was made by former presidential adviser and Ambassador-designate to Germany, Ita Enang, during a visit to the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, and the Minister of State for the ministry, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, in Abuja.

According to Enang, early engagement with the ministry would provide ambassadors with a deeper understanding of Nigeria’s economic priorities, development agenda, and policy objectives, enabling them to effectively represent the country’s interests abroad and attract beneficial partnerships.

He noted that such consultations would equip diplomats with valuable insights into Nigeria’s development aspirations and strengthen their capacity to promote the nation’s goals in their host countries.

Enang also disclosed that the engagement was in line with a presidential directive requiring ambassadors-designate to familiarise themselves with relevant government institutions before deployment.

In his response, Minister Bagudu commended the initiative, describing it as a positive step towards enhancing the effectiveness of Nigeria’s diplomatic engagements and advancing the country’s development objectives through international cooperation.