President Bola Tinubu plans to spend over N6.1 billion on international travel in 2025.
The budget also includes N873 million for local travel, bringing the president’s total travel expenses to N7 billion for the year.
Meanwhile, Vice President Kashim Shettima will spend N1.314 billion on international trips and N417.4 million on local movements.

2024 Figures Show Even Higher Travel Spending

This new travel budget follows concerns raised over the presidency’s 2024 expenditure.
Data from the Open Treasury Portal revealed that the Tinubu-led government spent N36.3 billion on international travel in 2024 alone.
The spending included N12.2 billion for international training travel and N24.19 billion for other international travel expenses.
Additionally, local travel costs amounted to N47 billion, with N15.8 billion for training and N31.2 billion for other activities.
In total, the presidency spent a staggering N83 billion on both local and international travel in 2024.

Presidency Defends Foreign Trips Despite Economic Concerns

Amid rising scrutiny, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, defended the president’s frequent travels.
Speaking on Channels TV, he said President Tinubu’s foreign engagements have generated critical investments for Nigeria’s economy.
He cited a $2 million investment from Brazil, secured during Tinubu’s visit, which targets livestock development and the herders-farmers crisis.
Tuggar insisted that “other countries are chasing after these investments, but President Tinubu was able to secure them for Nigeria.”
He further claimed that Nigeria has enough resources to support more presidential travel, calling it vital for diplomacy and economic growth.

Breakdown of Presidential Travel Spending in 2024

Between February and July 2024, Tinubu’s foreign trip expenses totaled N2.3 billion, according to GovSpend data from BudgIT Foundation.
During this period, the presidency made several significant payments, including:

• N300 million in January

• N250 million in February

• Multiple payments in March

• N350 million each in May and July

In addition, between February 24 and March 15, 2024, the government spent N2.9 billion in foreign exchange.
This amount covered trips by President Tinubu, Vice President Shettima, and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu to countries such as Ethiopia, Switzerland, France, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, and Brazil.

Public Reaction: Spending Versus National Priorities

Many Nigerians have questioned the necessity of these large allocations, especially during a time of economic strain, inflation, and low revenue generation.
Critics argue that the presidency’s travel costs should reflect the country’s financial realities and prioritize domestic development.
As debate continues, all eyes remain on how these trips will translate into tangible benefits for the Nigerian people.