Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Kayode Are, has formally presented his Letter of Credence to United States President Donald Trump at the White House.
The ceremony, held on Thursday, May 21, marked the official commencement of Are’s diplomatic assignment in Washington following his appointment by President Bola Tinubu.
The development was disclosed by Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, in a social media post on Sunday, where he congratulated the retired military officer on his new role.
According to information from the White House, the event featured ambassadors from 11 other countries presenting their credentials, with an honour guard mounted by members of the US armed forces alongside officials of the State Department and National Security Council.
Among those who also presented credentials were envoys from South Africa, Chad, Chile, Yemen, Australia and Kyrgyzstan.
Are’s posting to the United States was approved by President Tinubu after confirmation by the Nigerian Senate in December 2025.
A retired Colonel and former Director-General of the State Security Service, now the Department of State Services, Are has decades of experience in intelligence and national security administration.
Born in 1955, he trained at the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of Regular Combatant Course 12 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1974. He later earned a First Class degree in Psychology from the University of Ibadan, where he emerged as the best graduating student, before obtaining a Master’s degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos.
Are served in the Directorate of Military Intelligence and rose to the rank of Colonel before retiring from the Nigerian Army in 1993.
Following Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999, he was appointed Director-General of the State Security Service, serving until August 2007 under former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, making him the longest-serving head of the agency.
He also served as Deputy National Security Adviser, contributing to intelligence coordination and national security policy.
