Nigeria’s newly appointed ambassador to the United States, Kayode Are, has officially presented his Letter of Credence to US President Donald Trump during a ceremony at the White House.
The event, held on Thursday, May 21, featured an honour guard made up of members of the US armed forces, officers of the State Department, and staff of the National Security Council.
Are was among 12 ambassadors who formally presented their credentials to the US president during the diplomatic ceremony. Other envoys in attendance included ambassadors from South Africa, Chad, Chile, Yemen, Australia and Kyrgyzstan.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved Are’s appointment in January 2026 after his nomination received Senate confirmation in December 2025.
A retired Nigerian Army colonel and veteran intelligence officer, Are is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most experienced security operatives, with more than three decades of service in military intelligence and national security administration.
Born in 1955, he began his military career at the Nigerian Defence Academy as a member of Regular Combatant Course 12. He graduated among the top 10 cadets and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in December 1974.
Academically, Are distinguished himself as one of the brightest students of his generation. In 1980, he earned a First Class Honours degree in Psychology from the University of Ibadan, graduating as the institution’s best overall student and winning several academic prizes, including the University Senate Prize.
He later obtained a Master’s degree in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos in 1987.
During his military career, Are served in the Directorate of Military Intelligence and rose to the rank of colonel before retiring compulsorily from the Nigerian Army in 1993.
Following Nigeria’s return to democratic rule, former President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him Director General of the State Security Service, now known as the Department of State Services, in May 1999.
He remained in office until August 2007, making him the longest-serving Director General in the history of the agency. During that period, he served under both the Obasanjo and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua administrations.
Are also served as Deputy National Security Adviser, where he played a major role in intelligence coordination and national security management at the highest level of government.
His appointment as ambassador to the United States is seen as part of Nigeria’s broader diplomatic and strategic engagement with Washington, particularly in the areas of security cooperation, intelligence sharing and bilateral relations.
