Junketing Nigerian President Tinubu spends more than five months on foreign journeys since the inauguration

The countries he 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. An overview showed that the president of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, has visited 18 countries since his inauguration, and spent a total of 165 days outside the country in barely two years. The countries he 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. That means he was seven days away. A statement issued by the State House at the time states: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu arrived in Paris, France, in preparation for the summit on a new global financing treaty, presented by President Emmanuel Macron.” On June 24, 2023, a statement signed by parts of Alake read partially: “President Tinubu, who was initially back in Abuja on Saturday, will now go to London, United Kingdom, for a short private visit.” On July 8, 2023, it was announced that President Tinubu 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, which means he was away for two days. On July 14, 2023, it was announced that President Tinubu was in Kenya for the Summit of the Africa Union; He returned to Nigeria on July 17, 2023. That means he was on the trip for three days. On August 1, 2023, President Tinubu started a one -day trip to Benin for the 63rd annual celebration of the Republic of Benin. A statement by the State House confirmed the visit. On September 5, 2023, the state house announced that Tinubu had arrived in India for a large investment summit. He then visited the United Arab Emirates before returning to Nigeria on September 12, 2023. That means he spent seven days on the journey. Barely six days later he left for New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly. He arrived in New York on September 18, 2023. However, he only returned to Nigeria on September 30, 2023. Reports indicate that he went to France to the conference, which means he spent twelve days from Nigeria on this journey. The president also traveled to Saudi Arabia and Guinea-Bissau one week in November 2023. He attended the Saudi-African Summit in Saudi Arabia and participated in the 50th Independence Memorial of Guinea-Bissau. In November 2023 he spent five days in Germany and arrived on November 22, 2023. Shortly thereafter, on November 28, 2023, he returned to Dubai, United Arab Emirates for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, returned to Nigeria on December 5, 2023. That means he was away for six days. On January 24, 2024, the state house Tinubu’s journey to France announced. He returned thirteen days later, on February 6, 2024. He also visited Qatar two days of February 29, 2024. On April 1, 2024, it was announced that Tinubu was on his way to Senegal for President’s election Bassirou Faye’s inauguration ceremony. He spent a day there. Other places he visited include Ghana from 19-22 July 2024 (three days), for the mid-annual meeting of the African Union, and Pretoria, South Africa, from 18 to 20 June 2024 (three days), for the inauguration of Cyril Ramaphosa as president. Tinubu visited the Netherlands, then Saudi Arabia, for a special World Economic Forum meeting, and then traveled to the United Kingdom and France. He only returned to Nigeria on May 8, 2024 after leaving on April 23, 2024. This means that he spent fifteen days outside the country. According to a statement published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, President Tinubu visited Guinea from 14-16 August 2024, which means he was away for three days. He was again in France from 19-23 August 2024 (four days). The State House website only announced that he would have a short time in France, but that he did not provide further details. Barely five days after returning from France, it was reported that Tinubu left Abuja to China on August 29, 2024. However, he only returned to Nigeria on September 15, 2024, which means he was away for seventeen days. “President Tinubu left Beijing to London, where he spent a few days. He met with King Charles III on Thursday and discussed issues related to climate change and actions,” President Bayo Onanuga said in a statement, which began an extension of the journey on August 29, 2024, SahararaSporters, from a two-week. He traveled to the UK. A statement by the President’s special adviser on information and strategy reads: “The president will use the two weeks as a work holiday and a refuge to think about the economic reform of his administration.” On October 11, however, the president left the UK to France for “an important engagement”. He returned to Nigeria on October 19, 2024, which means he spent seventeen days outside the country. On Thursday, November 28, 2024, Tinubu was in France for a two -day state visit. 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, which means he was seven days away. On January 26, 2025, it was announced that Tinubu had arrived in Tanzania for an energy council. He returned to Abuja on January 28 and spent two days in Tanzania. On February 5, 2025, Tinubu left for France and then Ethiopia. He returned to Nigeria on February 17, 2025, which means he was twelve days away. It was announced that the president would visit France for two weeks from April 2, 2025, on a working visit. That means he would be away for fourteen days. An overview of Nigeria’s approved budget of 2025 by Saharan Porters earlier revealed that President Bola Tinubu intends to spend N6.1 billion on international travel in 2025. The budget also contains N873 million for local travel, bringing the total expenses for both international and local travel to N7 billion for the year. Meanwhile, Vice President Kashim Shettima N1.314 billion will spend on international travel and an additional N417.488 million on local travel in the same year. This comes amid growing concerns about the costs of the president’s journey, especially in light of Nigeria’s economic challenges and limited income. Saharan Porters previously checked data from the Open Treasury Portal, showing that the Tinubu-led presidency spent N36 billion on international travel in 2024.