Foreign Affairs Minister Laments Poor 2025 Budget Funding, Senate Committee Adjourns Defence

By Inalegwu Osemi

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Yusuf Tuggar, has expressed strong dissatisfaction over the poor funding of the ministry’s 2025 budget, warning that the situation has significantly hindered its operations and overall performance.
Hon. Tuggar made this known during the budget defence session before the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, where he outlined the ministry’s financial challenges and their implications on Nigeria’s diplomatic engagements and international obligations.

The minister noted that inadequate releases from the approved 2025 budget have constrained the ministry’s ability to effectively carry out its core responsibilities, including maintaining foreign missions, strengthening bilateral relations, and promoting Nigeria’s interests abroad. He stressed that the funding gap has negatively impacted critical programmes and administrative functions of the ministry.
He also raised concerns over Nigeria’s outstanding and accessed contributions to various international organisations, explaining that irregular and insufficient payments could undermine the country’s credibility and influence within the global diplomatic community. Tuggar emphasized that meeting these obligations is essential to sustaining Nigeria’s leadership role in regional and international affairs.
Members of the committee acknowledged the concerns raised by the minister and stressed the importance of adequate funding to enable the ministry perform its strategic mandate effectively.
Following deliberations, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Sani Bello, adjourned the session to allow for further review of the ministry’s budget performance and submissions.
The committee is expected to reconvene at a later date to continue discussions and ensure appropriate budgetary provisions are made to strengthen Nigeria’s foreign policy implementation and international commitments.