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JUNKETING NIGERIAN PRESIDENT TINUBU SPENDS OVER FIVE MONTHS AWAY ON FOREIGN TRIPS SINCE INAUGURATION
A review has shown that Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, has visited 18 countries since his inauguration, spending total 165 days outside the country in barely two years.
The countries he has visited include France, Tanzania, the United Kingdom, China, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Equatorial Guinea, Qatar, Guinea-Bissau, Ethiopia, the UAE, Benin, Germany, Kenya, Senegal, Ghana, South Africa, and New York.
He has spent 165 days outside Nigeria since his inauguration on May 29, 2023.
Tinubu left the country on June 20, 2023, and returned on June 27, 2023, after visiting France and London. This means he was away for seven days.
A statement issued by the State House at the time read: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Tuesday arrived in Paris, France, in preparation for the Summit on a New Global Financing Pact, which will be hosted by President Emmanuel Macron.”
On June 24, 2023, a statement signed by Dele Alake read in part: “President Tinubu, who was initially scheduled to be back in Abuja on Saturday, will now proceed to London, United Kingdom, for a short private visit.”
On July 8, 2023, it was announced that President Tinubu had arrived in Guinea-Bissau for the 63rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). He returned to Nigeria on July 10, 2023, meaning he was away for two days.
On July 14, 2023, it was announced that President Tinubu was in Kenya for the African Union summit; he returned to Nigeria on July 17, 2023. This means he was on the trip for three days.
On August 1, 2023, President Tinubu embarked on a one-day trip to Benin for the 63rd anniversary celebration of the Republic of Benin. A statement by the State House affirmed the visit.
On September 5, 2023, the State House announced that Tinubu had arrived in India for a high-level investment summit. He then visited the United Arab Emirates before returning to Nigeria on September 12, 2023. This means he spent seven days on the trip.
Barely six days later, he departed for New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly. He arrived in New York on September 18, 2023. However, he did not return to Nigeria until September 30, 2023. Reports indicate he went to France after the conference, meaning he spent twelve days away from Nigeria on this trip.
The President also spent one week traveling to Saudi Arabia and Guinea-Bissau in November 2023. He attended the Saudi-Africa summit in Saudi Arabia and participated in Guinea-Bissau’s 50th Independence Anniversary and Armed Forces Day celebrations.
In November 2023, he spent five days in Germany, arriving on November 22, 2023. Soon after, he traveled to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on November 28, 2023, for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, returning to Nigeria on December 5, 2023. This means he was away for six days.
On January 24, 2024, the State House announced Tinubu’s travel to France. He returned thirteen days later, on February 6, 2024.
He also visited Qatar for two days from February 29, 2024.
On April 1, 2024, it was announced that Tinubu was heading to Senegal for President-elect Bassirou Faye’s inauguration ceremony. He spent a day there.
Other places he visited include Ghana from July 19-22, 2024 (three days), for the African Union mid-year meeting, and Pretoria, South Africa, from June 18-20, 2024 (three days), for Cyril Ramaphosa’s inauguration as President.
Tinubu visited the Netherlands, then Saudi Arabia for a special World Economic Forum meeting, and subsequently traveled to the United Kingdom and France. He did not return to Nigeria until May 8, 2024, having left on April 23, 2024. This means he spent fifteen days outside the country.
According to a statement published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Tinubu visited Equatorial Guinea from August 14-16, 2024, meaning he was away for three days.
He was in France again from August 19-23, 2024 (four days). The State House website only announced that he would have a brief stay in France but did not provide further details.
Barely five days after returning from France, it was reported that Tinubu left Abuja for China on August 29, 2024. However, he did not return to Nigeria until September 15, 2024, meaning he was away for seventeen days.
“President Tinubu left Beijing for London, where he spent some days. On Thursday, he met with King Charles III, discussing issues related to climate change and action,” Presidential Spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said in a statement, indicating an extension of the trip that began on August 29, 2024.
On October 2, 2024, SaharaReporters reported that Tinubu was to commence a two-week leave. He traveled to the United Kingdom.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy read:
“The President will use the two weeks as a working vacation and a retreat to reflect on his administration’s economic reform.”
However, on October 11, the President left the United Kingdom for France for “an important engagement.”
He returned to Nigeria on October 19, 2024, meaning he spent seventeen days outside the country.
On Thursday, November 28, 2024, Tinubu was in France for a state visit lasting two days.
On January 12, 2025, he arrived in the United Arab Emirates, where he attended the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. He resumed office on January 20, 2025, meaning he was away for seven days.
On January 26, 2025, it was announced that Tinubu arrived in Tanzania for an energy summit. He returned to Abuja on January 28, spending two days in Tanzania.
On February 5, 2025, Tinubu departed for France and then Ethiopia. He returned to Nigeria on February 17, 2025, meaning he was away for twelve days.
It was announced that the President would visit France for two weeks from April 2, 2025, on a working visit. This means he would be away for fourteen days.
Earlier, a review of Nigeria’s 2025 approved budget by SaharaReporters revealed that President Bola Tinubu plans to spend N6.1billion on international travel in 2025. The budget also includes N873 million for local travel, bringing the total expenditure for both international and local travel to N7 billion for the year.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kashim Shettima is set to spend N1.314 billion on international travel and an additional N417.488 million on local travel in the same year.
This comes amid growing concerns over the costs associated with the President’s travel, especially in light of Nigeria’s economic challenges and limited revenue.
Earlier, SaharaReporters reviewed data from the Open Treasury Portal, which showed that the Tinubu-led presidency spent N36billion on international travel in 2024.
