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What is known today as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs started in 1957, as the External Division of the office of the Prime Minister. The establishment of that office was part of the preparation for Nigeria’s independence.
In the beginning 12 officers were selected after rigorous interview to constitute the pioneer staff of the Nigerian Foreign Service designed to be in the words of the then Chairman Federal Civil Service Commission, “an elite service of the brightest and the best.
” In addition to courses at reputable institutions abroad such as Oxford University, as part of their training, the officers were also sent abroad to British Embassies and Consular Posts to function as Third Secretaries, vice Consuls etc. On 1st October 1960, the government subsequently established a separate Ministry known as Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Commonwealth Relations to deal with external affairs of the government.
The Ministry’s name was subsequently changed to Ministry of External Affairs and finally assumed its current name Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1991.
Since its establishment over 50 years ago, the foreign service has undergone one form of reform or the other in response to the demands of Nigeria’s national interest as well as the changing domestic and international environment. Major initiatives for reforms include the Bolokor, Rafindadi, Aguda and Anyaoku Reports. Each was aimed at restructuring and repositioning the ministry to respond to the respective challenges of those periods.
With the latest reforms in 2007 the Ministry has again been repositioned to meet the challenges implementation of the 7 point Agenda of the Administration of President Musa Yar’Adua and the demands of a rapidly globalizing world. This is reflected in the new structure of the ministry as would be seen in the organogram, staffing disposition and functions of the ministry of the Nigerian Missions abroad.
FUNCTIONS
- Conduct of Nigeria’s Foreign Policy and International Relations.
- Representation of Nigeria in Foreign countries by way of High Commissions, Embassies and Consulates.
- Consular Matters including the protection of the interests of Nigerians abroad.
- Relations with Diplomatic Corps in Nigeria.
- Co-ordination of International Conferences in Nigeria.
- Representation of Nigeria at International Organizations such as the UN, ECOWAS, Commonwealth OAU then, now AU.
- Pilgrimage Arrangements.
- Technical Assistance to Foreign countries.
- Repatriation of destitute Nigerians.
- Issuance of Passports, Travel Certificates and Seamen identity cards in Missions abroad.
- Organization and Arrangement of State Protocol and ceremonies, accreditation of Nigerian Envoys, and Consular Representatives, Official visits abroad by Nigerian dignitaries.
- Responsibility over Diplomatic privileges and Immunities.
- Responsibility for signing of Cultural Agreements, and furnishing missions with daily news summary
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