Mahmood Yakubu arrives Qatar to assume duty as Nigeria’s ambassador

Mahmood Yakubu, former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has arrived in Qatar to commence his diplomatic assignment as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Gulf nation.

Yakubu received a warm welcome upon his arrival in Doha on June 17, 2026.

He was received by Ambassador Ibrahim Yousif Abdullah Fakhro, director of the protocol department at Qatar’s ministry of foreign affairs.

Also present at the reception were 13 African ambassadors accredited to Qatar, representing Algeria, Burundi, Morocco, Tanzania, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Senegal, Togo, Benin and the Central African Republic.

The delegation was led by Ambassador Thierno Abdoulaye Sow of Guinea, President of the Bureau of African Ambassadors in Qatar.

Yakubu was among the 65 career and non-career ambassadorial nominees screened and cleared by the Nigerian Senate.

Following orientation and approval from host countries through the diplomatic process known as agrément, ambassador-designates proceed to their countries of posting before formally presenting their letters of credence.

The former electoral commission chairman now takes on the responsibility of strengthening diplomatic and economic relations between Nigeria and Qatar, one of the country’s strategic partners in the Gulf region.

Nigeria and Qatar established formal diplomatic relations in 2013, with both countries opening resident embassies in their respective capitals.

Since then, bilateral ties have expanded across several sectors, including oil and gas, mining, infrastructure, agriculture, education, labour, trade and aviation.

Trade relations between the two countries have continued to grow. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria recorded a trade surplus of N4.14 billion with Qatar in March 2026, the highest level on record.

Cooperation between the two nations has also been strengthened through a series of bilateral agreements.

During President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Qatar in 2024, both countries signed seven agreements covering employment regulation, business development, youth and sports, tourism, investment and efforts to combat illicit drug trafficking.

In May 2025, President Tinubu hosted the Emir of Qatar’s special envoy in Abuja and reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to attracting Qatari investments, particularly in the agricultural sector, while promoting broader strategic partnerships between both countries.

Yakubu’s appointment is expected to further deepen diplomatic engagement and expand economic cooperation between Nigeria and Qatar.