The Government of Mexico has formally approved Reno Omokri’s appointment as Nigeria’s ambassador to the country, bringing an end to months of uncertainty over his diplomatic posting.
Omokri announced the development on Tuesday in a post on his official Facebook page, disclosing that the Mexican government had communicated its acceptance through its diplomatic mission in Abuja.
According to him, José Manuel Briseño Flores, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Mexico in Nigeria, delivered the diplomatic approval, known as agrément, to the Director of Protocol at Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Babagana Wakil.
“Today in Abuja, the Mexican diplomat delivered the agrément accepting him to serve as Nigeria’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Mexico,” Omokri wrote.
The approval also covers his concurrent accreditation to Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, allowing him to represent Nigeria in the four Central American and North American countries.
President Bola Tinubu initially nominated Omokri for an ambassadorial position on November 29, 2025, alongside 31 other nominees. The list included former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, and former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu.
The Senate subsequently confirmed the ambassadorial nominees in December 2025.
On March 6, 2026, Tinubu approved the deployment of 65 ambassadors-designate and high commissioners to their respective countries, assigning Omokri to Mexico City. The President also directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to commence their induction programme.
However, Omokri’s posting attracted public attention amid reports that Mexico had yet to grant the diplomatic approval required for him to assume office.
In March, reports emerged that a Nigerian diaspora group had petitioned Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, urging her government to reject Omokri’s nomination over his political comments and previous positions on Nigerian leaders.
There was, however, no official confirmation at the time that Mexico had rejected his appointment.
Omokri dismissed the speculation in June during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, attributing the delay to diplomatic procedures and Mexico’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the country is co-hosting with the United States and Canada.
“Mexico has not rejected me. Not at all,” he said.
He maintained that the delay was not peculiar to him, noting that other Nigerian ambassador-designates had also yet to resume duties at their respective postings.
The uncertainty continued into August, when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed that Mexico and Japan were among the countries yet to communicate formal acceptance of two outstanding ambassadorial appointments.
The ministry’s then-spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said Nigeria was engaging the two countries and expressed optimism that the outstanding diplomatic approvals would be received in due course.
Mexico’s latest decision confirms its acceptance of Omokri’s nomination, clearing a key diplomatic hurdle to his appointment.
Omokri previously served as a media aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan and later became widely known as a political commentator.
Agrément is the formal consent granted by a receiving country before an ambassador nominated by another country can be appointed to serve there. It is a crucial step in diplomatic relations and must be obtained before an envoy can formally assume the position.
