Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Colonel Kayode Are (Rtd), has formally presented his Letter of Credence to President Donald Trump at the White House on May 21, 2026, joining envoys from 11 other nations in a ceremony marked by military honours and diplomatic protocol.
The event took place on May 21. A U.S. armed forces honour guard participated, along with State Department and National Security Council officials.
Are’s posting was approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu after Senate confirmation in December 2025. He is a seasoned intelligence officer and former Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS). He is Nigeria’s longest-serving DG and led the agency from 1999 to 2007 under Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
Are was born in 1955. He trained at the Nigerian Defence Academy and graduated among the top cadets of Regular Combatant Course 12. He earned a First Class Honours degree in Psychology from the University of Ibadan in 1980. He later completed a Master’s in International Law and Diplomacy at the University of Lagos. His career includes roles in military intelligence, national security coordination, and as Deputy National Security Adviser.
Ambassadors from South Africa, Chad, Chile, Yemen, Australia, and Kyrgyzstan also presented credentials at the White House. This demonstrated the global scope of the diplomatic gathering.
