Germany has declined to accept the ambassadorial nomination of Femi Fani-Kayode, citing concerns over his history of ethnocentric and religiously charged rhetoric, Peoples Gazette has learned exclusively.
President Bola Tinubu had approved the former minister’s posting to a Central European nation on March 6. However, according to sources, the German government formally rejected the nomination on March 13, 2026. In its decision, Berlin pointed to what it described as Mr. Fani-Kayode’s “erratic behaviour” and “controversial past statements,” specifically highlighting his “divisive ethnocentric, tribalistic, and religious fundamentalist comments in Nigeria,” which it characterized as “destabilising.”
The rejection came just days after Mr. Fani-Kayode was involved in a public altercation with the United Kingdom’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery. The incident occurred during a Ramadan dinner hosted by Senator Bashir Lado, Special Adviser to the President on Senate Matters, at his residence in Abuja.
Peoples Gazette disclosed that Mr. Fani-Kayode could not be reached for comment on Sunday.
A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity to a correspondent of Peoples Gazette indicated that the government may now seek to redeploy Mr. Fani-Kayode as ambassador to South Africa.
A prominent political figure, Mr. Fani-Kayode has a long history of controversial public statements. In August 2020, he drew widespread criticism for verbally attacking a journalist, Mr. Eyo, who questioned the funding source for a nationwide tour. During a press conference in Calabar, Mr. Fani-Kayode responded to the query by calling the reporter “stupid” and the question “insulting.” He later issued an apology.
His public profile has also been marked by a contentious child custody dispute with his former wife, Precious Chikwendu, as well as a series of legal battles. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had previously charged him with multiple counts of fraud, money laundering, and forgery spanning an 18-year period.
Between 2024 and 2025, courts dismissed these cases—which involved alleged fraudulent receipts amounting to billions of naira and the forgery of medical reports—ruling that the prosecution had failed to establish a direct link between Mr. Fani-Kayode and the alleged offences.