Exploring the Impact of Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar’s Leadership in 2025: Analysis by Austin Isikhuemen
Austin Isikhuemen | Contributor on politics and business-related topics
In the arena of global diplomacy, where the stakes are often as high as the rhetoric, the Minister of Foreign Affairs serves as both the shield and the voice of a nation. For Nigeria, a country navigating the turbulent waters of regional insecurity and shifting geopolitical alliances, this role has never been more critical. In his latest analysis, Austin Isikhuemen, our regular contributor on politics and business, takes a deep dive into the 2025 performance of Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar.
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From the high-stakes rescue of Nigerian Air Force officers in Burkina Faso to the viral, “uncensored” verbal sparring with Piers Morgan, Isikhuemen explores the delicate balance between domestic pressure and international prestige.
It is a compelling look at whether Nigeria’s chief diplomat is successfully steering the ship of state, or merely treading water in a sea of “manafiki” and global scrutiny. Now. Enjoy the full ready by Austin Isikhuemen.
The foreign ministry under the leadership of the Minister of Foreign Affairs (formerly called Minister of External Affairs) plays a huge role in the management of Nigeria’s bilateral and multi-lateral relations.
It is the remit of this minister to deftly steer our relations with the rest of the world in a way that enhances our country’s national interest without ruffling the feather of other countries and multilateral organizations.
The minister (with the ministry, of course) does this through diplomatic engagements with other countries using world-class communication, etiquette, deep knowledge of global dynamics and regional imperatives. Such a minister represents the face of the nation, a role he/she plays as number two to the President himself as the number one diplomat!
Nigeria has had an impressive line of foreign ministers since independence. Unlike Russia which has had a single rock of Gibraltar (Sergey Lavrov) as Minister of Foreign Affairs for 21 years now, Nigerian leaders have always changed theirs with every change in Leadership.
We have had many as shining stars who held the office with such competence and were respected around the world. Even in the military era, some military men that held the position such as Generals Joe Garba and Ike Nwachukwu, stood out.
Then there was Professor Bolaji Akinyemi who worked so hard on the concert of medium powers and pushed the black bomb initiative. Arguably, his period must be listed as part of the golden era in our diplomatic performance on the world stage!
Of course, there many other ministers who performed to various degrees based on issues at the global stage and the leadership outlook we had at home. Henry Adefope, Ishaya Audu, Tom Ikhimi, Emeka Anyaoku, Ibrahim Gambari, Babagana Kingibe, Ojo Madueke (of citizen diplomacy fame), and several others played this role at various times.
Ngozi Okonkjo-Iweala was the first female to be appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in Nigeria though she served in that role for a very limited time. Now, we have Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar who was appointed in August 2023 as our Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Admittedly, issues at home and the political temperament of the Presidency shape, to a large extent, the outlook and performance of the minister. But the verve and deep knowledge of the appointee, as well as his ability to navigate contentious issues and walk a tight rope when necessary, speaking with the right tone even when cornered, all contribute to the standing of a Minister of Foreign Affairs. It is not a mere job for the boys.
To be effective, the minister’s temperament and disposition must be in sync with his principal’s objectives. When those objectives coincide with the national interest, the nation benefits a great deal, and the minister is seen as a worthy voice at international fora.
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Tuggar’s biggest challenge on the international stage today revolves around the most critical issue that Nigeria is currently battling with – insecurity fueled by terrorism. This did not start with the government that was sworn in in May 2023. Earlier governments have grappled with Boko Haram – Jama’atu Ahhlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad.
Then other groups like Ansaru, ISWAP, joined the fray. The deadly herdsmen killings, kidnappings for ransom, and banditry have made the insecurity challenge a handful indeed. The IPOB group operates in the Southeast. The coming of another deadly group called Lakurawa in the Northwest have muddied the pond further.
Evidence abounds that shows that the international community is becoming impatient with Nigeria. Some, in the international community are concerned for altruistic reasons. If Nigeria, housing a quarter of West Africa’s population, implodes, the whole of West and Central Africa will be overrun by massive refugee inflows that their economies cannot cope with.
Such destabilization would have massive impact on global affairs. There are others whose concern is their own national interest which could be adversely impacted by an unstable Nigeria, their source of raw materials and energy. Nigeria is also said to have rare earth deposits that are becoming game-changers in technology and innovation as well as the geopolitical draught game between some world powers in recent time.
Added to this mix is the concern that if left to its devices, Nigeria may be unable to fix its terrorism challenge as decades of efforts, some patently half-hearted, have shown. The fear is that she can become a terrorism staging post and create an inferno that can harm the rest of the world.
It looks like this and other national interest considerations, plus the religious colouration of the massive killings in sections of the country driven by the successful advocacy of those impacted, undergirds Trump’s recent entry into the fray. No one will argue that his warning, which many say impinges on our sovereignty, has led to visible attempts by the authorities to take actions to step the murderous terrorism tide in our nation.
Sincerely, communications by some agents of the government have been full of doublespeak and unhelpful, sending signals that leave people confused as to which side they really are.
While some persons, now cleared for appointment as envoys, were spitting fire and calling those asking that these killings be stopped unprintable names, the government itself appeared to have been reaching a reproachment with Trump! Even the interview Ambassador Tuggar had with Piers Morgan was so combative and that it left viewers with the impression of someone with something to hide!
Granted that the lady – a former Canadian MP – had many inaccuracies in her assertions, the minister’s response mode was anything but diplomatic. You do not talk down on a woman on the global stage even if that is what you do back home!
Then the obvious untruth that only 177 Christians have been killed in five years. Killed muslims run into thousands too. It would have been better not to mention that ridiculous number. The Yelwata incident alone was more than that! Piers Morgan and the MP, even viewers, were clearly aghast! Credibility matters a lot in diplomacy.
Can our country make some effort to collate data like all other countries do? Not just data of people killed. Reliable data is never available on most sectors of the economy, health, population, etc.
The Palestinians have figures of their dead, Ukraine too. They are in a state of all-out war. But Nigeria is unable, or unwilling, to count accurately its citizens killed in their houses in peace time!
There appears to have either been a lack of preparation for that interview or the seriousness of that conversation was lost on our representative. Or both. You do not go to Piers Morgan unprepared!
Even when he interviewed Trump a couple of years ago, it was full of fireworks although they are friends. In this era of the internet, nothing is hidden. And the envoys of countries like the United States are not here to shop, like ours are said to do abroad! They may even have more information about us and what we do in dark places than we know about ourselves.
This is not to praise them, but to say that in our dealings with them, a bit of credibility will make us a world of good.
When Piers Morgan wrote, in response to our minister’s tweet regarding that interview, “You seem to be panicking, Foreign Minister. Rest assured, we will air your comments in full; the show is called Uncensored for a reason.
Whether people believe what you said remains to be seen.” This last sentence is a diplomatic way of saying nobody believes you! In the tweet, the minister claimed he provided explanations supported by verifiable data. But not everyone who watched it on U-Tube, and saw our man struggle to provide data, or provided data of dubious accuracy, felt proud of that outing.
That cantankerous, uncouth shouting match with the former MP was unsightly and Nigeria’s argument got lost in the verbal mayhem. Attaching Canada because you are in an interview with a former MP is grossly undiplomatic and could become problematic in any meeting with Canada in future.
Ambassador Tuggar went to Burkina Faso, met with Captain Traore and returned with our gallant Airforce officers. Those officers were happily home for Christmas, away from being puns in the geopolitics of the West African subregion fueled by extra-continental powers jostling to make surrogates of our country.
That gets the highest score on his appraisal form filled by us, unsolicited, outside Aso Rock. That win is noteworthy.
But there are booby traps ahead that the minister would do well to avoid. He is a Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs. There are some newly cleared envoys yet to be assigned to our foreign missions. He should let them know that their role must be in congruence with, and subordinated to, the Foreign Affairs Ministry.
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There are a few who, based on their antecedents, would want to run faster than their shoes and make the Foreign Minister appear to be playing catch-up and become a dumpster hired to clear their spilled garbage. The President should clearly spell out their “authority and limits” and the issues they must refer to the foreign ministry to speak on when confronted.
I will also advice that the current incumbent get tutorials, or advice if he feels more comfortable with that term, from many of the living former Foreign Ministers who are encyclopedias of knowledge in handling hot potatoes that insecurity, terrorism and other issues facing Nigeria will to be in the short and medium term.
For as long as the international community continues to show interest in our affairs, for so long will our Foreign Minister continue to be on a hot seat. I hope minister Tuggar had a Merry Christmas and takes this piece in good faith. A happy new year to everyone!
27th December, 2025
