Ade Adefeko resigns as Botswana’s honourary consul to Nigeria

Ade Adefeko has resigned his role as Botswana’s honourary consul to Nigeria.

In a letter addressed to Phenyo Butale, Botswana’s minister of international relations, through Philda Nani Kereng, high commissioner, Adefeko cited “increasingly demanding professional commitments” as reason for his departure.

The letter was dated November 26, 2025 but was made public on Tuesday by the Botswana high commission in Abuja.

“This decision has become necessary due to increasingly demanding professional commitments, which now make it difficult for me to continue to dedicate the time and attention required for the discharge of consular responsibilities, as my standards require,” Adefeko stated in his letter.

“It has been an honour and privilege to serve and contribute, in my modest capacity, to strengthening the Botswana–Nigeria relations.”

He thanked President Duma Boko and the foreign minister for the opportunity to promote bilateral relations between Nigeria and Botswana.

Kereng acknowledged Adefeko’s resignation and hailedhis service to the high commission.

Honourary consuls are appointed by foreign governments to provide consular services and promote bilateral relations in cities where full diplomatic missions are not established.

They typically serve on a voluntary or part-time basis while maintaining their primary professional careers.

WHO IS ADEFEKO?

Adefeko served as honourary consul to Botswana from 2020 to 2025.

He was the first Nigerian to occupy the role and the first person to be so honoured in Nigeria’s history.

He speaks French, Portuguese, German and Spanish.

He also has a command of Swahili, Zulu and Ndebele, common in East and Southern Africa. Locally, the diplomat speaks Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo.

In 2021, he was the chairman of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) Agricultural Trade Group and a member of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and industry-LCCI Export Group.

He was also the vice-chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria Export Group (MANEG) and a member of the Industrial and Competitiveness Presidential Advisory Council.

With expertise in communications, he once worked as head of corporate communications at the Societe General Bank (SGBN); public affairs director for Multichoice, owners of DStv; and head of communications and government relations at Olam Group where he later rose to become vice-president, corporate and government relations.

Once asked about retirement in an interview, the commercial diplomat said one should not retire from serving humanity.

His successor has yet to be announced.(the cable)