Okezie Victor Ikpeazu has formally assumed his role as Nigeria’s ambassador to Spain after presenting his credentials to King Felipe VI at the Royal Palace in Madrid on Monday.

Ikpeazu was among six newly appointed ambassadors whose credentials were received by the Spanish monarch in a traditional ceremony. The other ambassadors represented Ghana, Chile, Venezuela, Thailand and Palestine. The presentation of credentials formally accredits an ambassador as the diplomatic representative and head of mission of their country in Spain.

Ikpeazu's accreditation follows his arrival in Madrid earlier in the year and the presentation of copies of his credentials to Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in July. The latter is a preliminary diplomatic procedure that precedes the formal presentation to the head of state.

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President Bola Tinubu approved Ikpeazu's posting to Spain in March as part of a wider deployment of Nigerian ambassadors to 65 countries. Ikpeazu, who served as governor of Abia State from 2015 to 2023, was one of the non-career ambassadors appointed by the president.

His arrival in Madrid comes as Nigeria and Spain seek to expand their political and economic relationship. Spain has described Nigeria as a reliable partner and one of its main suppliers of energy resources, while both countries have identified investment and job creation as areas where their relationship could grow.

The two countries have also maintained high-level diplomatic contacts this year. Nigeria's Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar visited Madrid in January, where he met Spain's Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares and discussed strengthening political contacts between the two countries.

The Nigerian embassy in Madrid has also identified consular relations, the welfare of Nigerians in Spain and the promotion of Nigerian tourism as part of its diplomatic responsibilities. The mission is additionally accredited to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, which is headquartered in Madrid.

For Ikpeazu, the posting marks a move from state-level politics into diplomacy. His tenure as governor ended in 2023; three years later, he is representing Nigeria in a country where Abuja is seeking greater cooperation in trade, investment, energy, tourism and other areas.

His presentation of credentials to King Felipe VI on Monday completes the formal accreditation process and establishes him as Nigeria's ambassador in Madrid.