Tinubu’s Foreign Trips Hit 261 Days As Presidency Spends ₦37.64bn On Travel

President Bola Tinubu has spent approximately 261 days outside Nigeria on foreign trips since assuming office, while expenditure records indicate that the Presidency spent more than ₦37.64 billion on presidential travels and related expenses between June 2023 and April 2026.

The latest figures emerged as Tinubu embarked on another three-week vacation on Sunday, travelling from Abuja to Europe, with London, United Kingdom, listed as his first destination.

Available official travel records and flight data indicate that the President had undertaken 51 foreign trips and visited at least 30 countries before the latest journey.

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said Tinubu would return to Nigeria after the vacation to participate in preparations for the 2027 elections.

The Presidency, however, did not provide a full itinerary for the latest holiday or disclose all the European countries the President may visit.

An analysis of government expenditure records by GovSpend, a public spending accountability platform, showed that the Presidency incurred exactly ₦37,639,227,853.51 in expenses relating to presidential trips, logistics, foreign exchange transactions and other travel-related activities between June 2023 and April 2026.

The records showed that the Presidency spent ₦9.19 billion between June and December 2023, ₦25.27 billion in 2024, ₦2.71 billion in 2025 and ₦477.45 million between January and April 2026.

The highest expenditure was recorded in 2024, when spending on presidential travel-related activities exceeded ₦25.26 billion.

A substantial portion of the expenditure was reportedly associated with foreign exchange allocations and funding for the Presidential Air Fleet.

The spending began shortly after Tinubu assumed office. On June 23, 2023, several payments totalling more than ₦150 million were reportedly made for presidential trips and related expenses.

In July of the same year, the Presidential Air Fleet received ₦846.03 million and another ₦674.82 million in foreign exchange transit funding.

Additional transactions were recorded in August, including payments of ₦152.37 million for $200,000, ₦228.55 million for $300,000 and ₦146.65 million for $315,300.

Another ₦250 million was recorded as a direct travel expense during the month, while the Presidential Air Fleet received further foreign exchange allocations of ₦2 billion and ₦713.22 million.

By September, four separate transactions of approximately ₦197.69 million each were processed, with each payment linked to a $1 million allocation for presidential trips.

In November and December, one notable transaction was ₦114.24 million reportedly paid to Hinterland Travel & Tours Limited for flight tickets.

Tinubu’s international engagements since taking office have included participation in global summits, bilateral meetings, state visits, investment engagements, diplomatic activities and working or private vacations.

His first foreign trip as President took place in June 2023, when he travelled to Paris, France, to attend the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact.

His 2023 itinerary subsequently included Guinea-Bissau for an ECOWAS summit, Kenya for the African Union mid-year coordination meeting, and the Republic of Benin for its Independence Anniversary.

He later travelled to India for the G20 Leaders’ Summit before proceeding to the United Arab Emirates. He also visited New York for the 78th United Nations General Assembly.

Other destinations in 2023 included Germany for the G20 Compact with Africa conference, Saudi Arabia for the Saudi-Africa Summit and Guinea-Bissau for its 50th independence anniversary.

Between November 27 and December 1, he was in France for a state visit before travelling to Dubai, UAE, for COP28.

In 2024, Tinubu’s foreign engagements included visits to France, Ethiopia, Qatar, Senegal, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Chad, South Africa, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, China and other destinations.

His China visit in August and September 2024 lasted from August 29 to September 6, during which he participated in the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. He subsequently travelled to the United Kingdom for an engagement with King Charles III.

In 2025, Tinubu visited Ghana for the inauguration of President John Mahama and travelled to the UAE for Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and Tanzania for the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit.

His international engagements that year also included France, Ethiopia, the United Kingdom, Vatican City, Saint Lucia, Brazil and Japan.

The President continued his foreign engagements in 2026, beginning the year with an extended stay outside Nigeria. Records indicated that he spent 22 days abroad in January, including about 10 days in France as part of his end-of-year vacation.

He also travelled to the UAE for Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and Türkiye for a state visit, where he met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Nigeria and Türkiye subsequently signed nine agreements covering areas including trade, energy, media and higher education.

In March, Tinubu travelled to the United Kingdom on a state visit, where a £746 million agreement was reportedly signed to modernise the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports.

In May, he embarked on another international trip covering France, Kenya and Rwanda, including participation in the Africa-France Summit and the Africa CEO Forum.

Meanwhile, the Presidency has defended Tinubu’s latest vacation, describing it as necessary after months of dealing with major national issues.

Speaking to journalists at the airport, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, said the holiday would allow Tinubu to “refuel” ahead of the intense political activities expected before the 2027 elections.

Dare described the President’s leave as “well-deserved,” noting that Tinubu had spent considerable time attending to issues of governance, particularly security and the economy.

He also stressed that governance would continue despite the President’s absence from Nigeria.

According to Dare, Tinubu would remain in regular contact with government officials and receive daily briefings while on vacation.

He said the President would receive updates from ministers, service chiefs and other officials responsible for critical decisions and national affairs.