President Bola Tinubu has approved the redeployment of Femi Fani-Kayode as Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to South Africa, following reports that his initial nomination to Germany was rejected by the German government.

The changes in the former Minister’s posting comes amid a whirlwind of diplomatic speculation.

While sources indicate that the European powerhouse declined the appointment, Fani-Kayode has taken to social media to offer a different account, claiming he was the one who initiated the change of heart.

In a post shared on X, the former Aviation Minister asserted that he made a formal representation to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, expressing discomfort with the German posting.
Fani-Kayode cited personal reasons and a lifelong history of living in Europe as his motivation for seeking a different terrain.

According to his statement, he explicitly requested South Africa due to its economic standing and proximity to his personal pan-African vision.

“I made a formal representation to the Minister of Foreign Affairs that I was not comfortable with Germany for a number of personal reasons. I would prefer to go to South Africa, which is a country that I had never been to and for which I have so much interest,” he narrated.

Fani-Kayode further claimed that South Africa aligns more closely with his political thinking regarding world affairs.

He noted that the country’s status as Africa’s largest economy and its historical ties to Nigeria made it a more suitable fit for his diplomatic debut.

Despite these claims of a voluntary swap, the redeployment follows a string of reports suggesting that the German government was hesitant to accept his credentials.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs reportedly conveyed Fani-Kayode’s request for redeployment to the Presidency, which led to the final approval by President Tinubu.

“I am pleased to say that after the Foreign Minister heard my reasons, he considered them favorably, after which he conveyed the request to Mr. President who graciously approved it,” Fani-Kayode added.