President Donald Trump has ordered the recall of the United States ambassador to Nigeria as part of a sweeping reorganisation of American diplomatic postings, according to reports cited by Punch Newspaper. The move affects dozens of U.S. envoys worldwide and reflects the administration’s effort to align foreign policy representation with its priorities.
The U.S. ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, is among several senior diplomats instructed to conclude their assignments and return to Washington. The recall is expected to take effect in January and is part of a larger transition involving ambassadors appointed under previous administrations.
Officials familiar with the matter said the decision is not a dismissal from the U.S. Foreign Service. Rather, the affected diplomats are being relieved of their current postings and may be reassigned to other roles within the State Department if they choose to continue in government service.
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Africa appears to be significantly impacted by the move. In addition to Nigeria, ambassadors serving in countries such as Algeria, Cameroon, Rwanda, Senegal and Uganda have reportedly been recalled. The scale of the action has drawn attention among foreign policy observers, who note that such widespread recalls are uncommon outside of major administration transitions.
The recall of the U.S. ambassador to Nigeria comes at a time when relations between Washington and Abuja involve cooperation on security, trade and governance issues. Nigeria remains a key U.S. partner in West Africa, particularly in efforts to combat terrorism and promote regional stability.
While the Trump administration has not publicly detailed the reasons for each recall, the changes are consistent with its “America First” approach, which emphasizes reassessing diplomatic engagements and restructuring foreign policy institutions.
State Department officials have not commented publicly on the long-term implications of the move. However, analysts say the absence of confirmed replacements could temporarily affect diplomatic continuity in some countries, even as U.S. embassies continue to operate under senior career officials.
The White House has yet to announce nominees to fill several of the ambassadorial vacancies created by the recalls.
