Germany Reportedly Rejects Tinubu’s Nomination Of Fani-Kayode As Ambassador Over Past Remarks, Conduct

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Germany has declined the nomination of former minister Femi Fani-Kayode as Nigeria’s ambassador, citing concerns over his past remarks and conduct, according to an exclusive report.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu had approved Mr Fani-Kayode’s appointment on March 6, assigning him to a Central European country as ambassador-designate. However, the German authorities rejected the nomination a week later, on March 13, 2026.

Officials in Germany based their decision on what they described as “erratic behaviour, controversial past statements, particularly his divisive ethnocentric, tribalistic, and religious fundamentalist comments in Nigeria”, which they said were “destabilising”.

The development followed a recent incident in Abuja where Mr Fani-Kayode reportedly clashed with the United Kingdom’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery. The disagreement occurred during a Ramadan dinner hosted by Senator Bashir Lado, the president’s special adviser on Senate matters.

Efforts to obtain Mr Fani-Kayode’s response were unsuccessful as of Sunday.

A senior government official, however, indicated that the former minister might be reassigned to South Africa in a similar diplomatic role.

Mr Fani-Kayode remains one of the high-profile figures nominated by President Tinubu for ambassadorial positions. He has, over the years, attracted attention for controversial public statements and social media posts.

In August 2020, he faced criticism after verbally attacking a journalist who questioned the source of funding for his nationwide tour. At a press briefing in Calabar, the reporter had asked, “Who is bankrolling you?” Mr Fani-Kayode responded by calling the journalist “stupid” and described the question as “insulting”. He later issued an apology following widespread backlash.

He was also involved in a public dispute with his estranged wife, Precious Chikwendu, over child custody.

In addition, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had filed charges against him, including fraud, money laundering, and forgery spanning nearly two decades. However, between 2024 and 2025, courts dismissed the cases. The rulings cited the prosecution’s inability to establish a link between Mr Fani-Kayode and the alleged offences, which included claims of fraudulent receipt of N4.9 billion, laundering of N200 million and later N8 billion, as well as forgery of medical documents.