Ikpeazu Formally Assumes Office as Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain
By Enyinnaya Appolos
Following his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain, His Excellency, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, arrived in Madrid to complete the diplomatic formalities required before fully assuming his responsibilities as Head of Mission.
As part of the preliminary accreditation process, Dr Ikpeazu had earlier presented copies of his Letters of Credence to Mr Adrián Martín Couce, Spain’s Director-General of Protocol, Chancellery and Orders and Introductor of Ambassadors, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation. Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the presentation took place on 13 July 2026.
The accreditation process culminated on Monday, 14 September 2026, with the formal presentation of the original Letters of Credence to His Majesty King Felipe VI at the Royal Palace of Madrid. The ceremony formally accredited Dr Ikpeazu as Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the Kingdom of Spain and marked the full commencement of his diplomatic duties.
Activities began at the Ambassador’s official residence in Madrid, where senior officials of the Nigerian Embassy gathered in preparation for the historic ceremony. The official portrait of Ambassador Ikpeazu was ceremonially installed in his private office alongside those of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
Shortly afterwards, an official vehicle provided by the Spanish authorities arrived at the residence with a despatch driver and two police motorcycle outriders. In accordance with diplomatic protocol, the Nigerian flag was mounted on the front passenger side of the vehicle, signifying that it was conveying the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The convoy, carrying Ambassador Ikpeazu and his delegation of senior Nigerian diplomatic officials, proceeded from the residence to the Palacio de Santa Cruz, the historic headquarters of Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.
At the Palacio de Santa Cruz, the Ambassador was received in the Hall of Ambassadors by senior Spanish diplomatic and protocol officials. From there, he was conveyed in a traditional royal horse-drawn carriage to the Royal Palace of Madrid, accompanied by mounted personnel of the Spanish Royal Guard.
Upon arrival at the Plaza de la Armería of the Royal Palace, Ambassador Ikpeazu received military honours before being formally ushered into the Palace. He was subsequently introduced to His Majesty King Felipe VI and presented his Letters of Credence as the duly appointed representative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The ceremony was conducted in the presence of Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, and other senior Spanish officials. Ambassador Ikpeazu also introduced members of his diplomatic delegation before holding a private audience with the King.
The presentation of Letters of Credence is one of Spain’s oldest diplomatic ceremonies. Its current format dates back to the 18th century and formally establishes a foreign ambassador as the highest diplomatic representative of his or her country in Spain.
According to the Spanish Royal Household, King Felipe VI was scheduled to receive the Letters of Credence of six new ambassadors on 14 September 2026, representing Ghana, Chile, Venezuela, Nigeria, Thailand and Palestine.
With the completion of the ceremony, Ambassador Okezie Victor Ikpeazu formally assumes his responsibilities as Nigeria’s principal diplomatic representative in Spain, with a mandate to strengthen bilateral relations, promote trade and investment, protect Nigeria’s interests and citizens, and deepen cooperation between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Spain.
The Embassy is expected to release official photographs of events inside the Hall of Ambassadors and the Palace.
Video filmed and edited by Enyinnaya Appolos.
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