Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has officially received his Letters of Credence, clearing the final diplomatic hurdle before assuming office as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini.
The former minister disclosed the development in a post shared on his verified X account on Tuesday, describing the appointment as a privilege and expressing appreciation for the opportunity to once again serve Nigeria.
According to Fani-Kayode, he received the diplomatic documents on Monday after securing the required agrément from the receiving countries.
The Letters of Credence, issued on behalf of the Federal Government, formally authorise him to represent Nigeria in the three Southern African nations.
He explained that the documents were presented to him on behalf of President Bola Tinubu by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye.
“Honoured to have received my letters of credence to serve as the High Commissioner of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Republic of South Africa, the Kingdom of Lesotho and the Kingdom of Eswatini yesterday,” Fani-Kayode wrote.
He added that, having received the agrément and the official letter of credence from President Tinubu, he would proceed to Pretoria to formally present his credentials to Cyril Ramaphosa before commencing his diplomatic assignment.
“I shall begin the process of reporting to Pretoria, presenting my letter of credence to His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and starting the great and important work that lies ahead,” he stated.
Reflecting on his return to public service, Fani-Kayode noted that the appointment comes almost exactly two decades after he served as Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation.
He described the opportunity as an act of divine favour and thanked President Tinubu for entrusting him with the diplomatic responsibility.
“I thank God for the opportunity to serve my nation once again after being appointed as Minister of Aviation 20 years ago, almost to the day,” he said.
Fani-Kayode also expressed gratitude to the president for the confidence reposed in him and appealed to Nigerians to remember him in their prayers as he prepares to begin his new role.
“The Lord alone shall take the glory for this, and He shall do great things. He is faithful!” he added.
The appointment places Fani-Kayode in charge of Nigeria’s diplomatic relations with South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini, where he is expected to strengthen bilateral ties, promote Nigeria’s interests and deepen cooperation with the three countries.
