The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has inaugurated the Ministry’s Project Approval Board, marking a significant step in ongoing institutional reforms aimed at modernising Nigeria’s diplomatic systems.
The inauguration signals the formal commencement of a structured framework to institutionalise and accelerate Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives within the Ministry’s operational architecture.
Speaking at the ceremony, Tuggar described the move as a decisive reform designed to strengthen governance, improve efficiency, and unlock innovative funding mechanisms in line with global best practices. The Board will ensure that PPP initiatives undergo rigorous technical, financial and legal evaluation, reinforcing transparency and accountability.
During the inauguration, Ministry officials also announced that the Ministry has secured regulatory clearance from the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) for ASFAAR.NG, Nigeria’s National Digital Diplomatic Platform. The initiative is designed to safeguard visa integrity, curb fraud and overstays, enhance citizen protection, and restore diplomatic confidence with partner nations, thereby modernising outbound travel governance.
Approved in line with ICRC’s Unsolicited Proposal guidelines, the reform reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to innovative, self-sustaining funding models that strengthen Ministries, Departments and Agencies while delivering measurable results.
With these steps, institutional reforms within the Foreign Ministry are now firmly underway, positioning the Ministry for greater efficiency, credibility and strategic impact.