President Bola Tinubu has approved the redeployment of former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, as Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to South Africa.

The development comes after reports that his earlier posting to Germany did not proceed as planned.

Reacting in a post on X on Thursday, Fani-Kayode said he personally requested a redeployment from Germany to South Africa for what he described as personal and ideological reasons.

According to him, he formally communicated his preference to the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, shortly after the initial announcement.

“It gives me pleasure to announce the fact that Mr. President has graciously approved my posting as Nigeria’s Ambassador-Designate to South Africa,” he wrote.

Fani-Kayode explained that having spent most of his life in Europe, he preferred to serve in South Africa, a country he said aligns more closely with his political and Pan-African outlook.

He described South Africa as a nation with closer ties to Nigeria and one that shares similar convictions on continental affairs and global politics.

The former minister said his request was favourably considered by Tuggar and subsequently approved by President Tinubu.