Credit: Gary Raynaldo / © Diplomatic Times / The Nigerian government shut down its San Francisco, California consulate in 1989 that was located in this property at 3247 Jackson Street in the City’s upscale, wealthy Presidio Heights district. The Federal Republic of Nigeria reportedly still owns the abandoned 4,250 square-foot property with 7 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms worth an estimated $5,287,741.
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
The Nigerian government announced last year it plans to reopen its consulate located in San Francisco, California United States. Nigeria’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Gabriel Adud said in July 2021 that the government was ready to reopen the San Francisco consulate after being shut more than 30 years. The opening will be able to provide consular services for the large population of Nigerians residing in the West Coast of United States, Amb. Adud said last year. However, the San Francisco consulate remains closed at the moment, leaving many Nigerians on the West Coast of the U.S. no choice but to travel to the East Coast for consulate business. The Nigerian government shut down its San Francisco diplomatic mission in 1989 that was located in a 4,250 square-foot residential home at 3247 Jackson Street in the City’s very wealthy Presidio Heights district. Pacific Heights is an elite, exclusive district established by old-monied San Francisco families. In 2013, Pacific Heights was named the most expensive neighborhood in the United States. The 7-bedroom $5.2 million home is still owned by the Republic of Nigeria although it has been sitting empty for three decades.
Squatters Living in Nigeria’s $5 Million Former San Francisco Consulate
Credit: Gary Raynaldo / © Diplomatic Times / The property housing the former Nigerian Consulate in San Francisco was built in 1910.
Over the years, squatters have reportedly been living in the property. Neighbors have complained about squatters living in the abandoned building owned by a foreign government, and a security guard was posted on the property for a period of time back in 2011 to keep out intruders. The Nigerian government reportedly told a neighbor in 2011 then that it planned have the property return as its San Francisco Consulate. However, that has not come to fruition and the property remains abandoned. According to a San Francisco realtor, the property is currently worth an estimated $5,287,741. US dollars.
Nigerians On The West Coast of U.S. Want a Rapid Opening of San Francisco Consulate
Nigerians living out on the West Coast of the States are reportedly, frustrated and running out of patience that the San Francisco Consulate has yet to re-open for business as the government has promised. They are not to thrilled about the trouble and great expense of traveling to New York, Washington DC and Atlanta for passport/consular services. There are stories of Nigerians having to travel to say, New York, stay in expensive hotel, and get up early a.m. hours to stand in the long line at the Consulate General of Nigeria in Manhattan for passport business.
Credit: Gary Raynaldo / © Diplomatic Times / Consulate General of Nigeria located at 828 second Avenue, New York, NY, is one of the three Nigeria’s diplomatic representation in the United States of America. The others are in Atlanta and Washington D.C.
(nigeriahouse.com) Visa Processing at Nigeria’s U.S. Consulates
Nigeria Needs Permission from U.S. To Re-Establish San Francisco Consulate
According to diplomatic protocol, Nigeria would need to obtain permission to re-establish its consulate from the U.S. Department of State as host country, just as opening a new mission requires. However, the Nigerian government has yet to make an official request with the U.S. to get the mission open for business as of April 2022, nearly a year after Nigeria said it would do so.
“The Department has not received a formal request to re-establish a Consulate in San Francisco, CA.”
-A U.S. State Department spokesperson told Diplomatic Times
