Tinubu Reassigns Fani-Kayode to South Africa

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has been reassigned as Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to South Africa following his earlier posting to Germany.

Fani-Kayode disclosed the development on Thursday, saying President Bola Tinubu approved the diplomatic reshuffle after consultations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The former minister had initially been named among the ambassadorial nominees posted to various countries by the Presidency on March 6, 2026, with Germany listed as his destination.

His nomination, however, became the subject of controversy weeks later after reports emerged that the German authorities had allegedly declined to accept his posting over past comments considered divisive and inflammatory.

While some online platforms claimed Berlin rejected the appointment, Fani-Kayode dismissed the reports as false, insisting there was no official communication from the German government rejecting him.

A fact-check published afterwards also stated that no formal rejection from Germany had been publicly confirmed, despite petitions reportedly written by some Nigerians in the diaspora against his nomination.

In explaining the latest development, Fani-Kayode said he personally requested redeployment, noting that he preferred South Africa for “personal reasons” and because he had spent much of his life in Europe already.

The reassignment is coming at a period of renewed concerns over xenophobic attacks and anti-immigrant sentiments in South Africa, where foreign nationals, including Nigerians, have repeatedly faced harassment and violence in recent years.

Diplomatic relations between both countries have occasionally come under strain over the attacks, with Nigerian authorities in the past demanding stronger protection for citizens living in the Southern African nation.

Observers say Fani-Kayode’s outspoken personality and political profile could place him at the centre of Nigeria’s diplomatic engagement with Pretoria as tensions over the treatment of African migrants continue to generate debate across the continent.

The Presidency has yet to release a fresh official list reflecting the latest changes in the ambassadorial postings.