President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and First Lady Remi Tinubu spent not less than N5.24bn on local and foreign travel between January and March 2024.

An analysis of the travel expenses using GovSpend, a civic tech platform that tracks and analyses the Federal Government’s spending, showed that N1.35bn was spent as provision for presidential trips and other related expenses in three months, N3.53bn was spent on foreign exchange purchase during 10 international trips and N637.85m was disbursed to two travel agencies for the purchase of air tickets for presidential local and foreign trips.

The payment made through the State House transit account to various recipients did not include estacodes of the President’s entourage.

This was as the government spent N12.59bn on maintenance of the presidential air fleet within the same period.

Recall that the President spent N3.4bn on these trips within six months of assuming office.

The figure is 36 per cent more than the N2.49bn earmarked for the President’s travel expenditure in the 2023 budget.

This means a total sum of N8.64bn was spent on local and foreign trips between June 2023 and March 2024.

The report also showed that the president got N650m as an honorarium.

Nigerians have consistently expressed worries over the President’s frequent travels, calling for tangible outcomes from these journeys.

In their first seven months in office, Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu and his Vice, Sen. Kashim Shettima, visited 16 countries, collectively spending 91 days in foreign engagements.

Checks revealed that Tinubu had so far visited Paris, France (twice); London, the United Kingdom; Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (twice); Nairobi, Kenya; Porto Norvo, Benin Republic; New Delhi, India; Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the United Arab Emirates; New York, the United States of America, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Berlin, German, spending 55 days.


Meanwhile, Shettima represented him in Italy, Russia, South Africa, Cuba, China, and the US, logging 36 days abroad in 2023.

Reacting, a financial expert, Olorunfemi Idris, noted that presidential trips can strengthen diplomatic ties, promote national interests, and attract foreign investment. For instance, President Tinubu’s recent trips resulted in agreements on security, economic development, and climate change, and secured investments in infrastructure and energy projects.

“Presidential trips can foster relationships with other countries, leading to increased cooperation and trade. The president can advocate for Nigeria’s interests on the international stage, securing agreements and partnerships,” he said.

However, Idris also pointed out the high cost of these trips, which can divert funds from essential areas like healthcare, education, and infrastructure development.

“The N8.64bn spent on President Tinubu’s trips in eight months alone could have been used for healthcare, education, or infrastructure development.”

“Additionally, security concerns and the need for extensive arrangements can strain resources. The effectiveness of presidential trips depends on the outcomes achieved and the follow-up actions taken,” he said.

A Professor of Economics, Cletus Agu, also said the most important thing to note was to consider whether or not the money was expended judiciously, saying there was nothing wrong in spending such an amount, especially if it would have positive effects on the economy.

He said, “ What you should ask is why is he spending such an amount? Of what use and purpose? He might be spending N10 million but the impact on the economy may be N100 million. If he is only going from one place to another, that will be terrible because people are suffering now but if he is spending the money with the view to making Nigeria better, and his vision is to improve the economy there is nothing wrong with it. There is a saying that we use money to find money so if he is spending it to improve the economy, there is nothing wrong with it.”

Also, an economist, Dr Akin Akinleye, called on the government to cut irrelevant expenses given the economic situation of the country.

He said, “They have the right to travel but they have to prioritise the economy because the economy is not in a good state in the last few months. They have cut irrelevant expenses. Any traveling that will that will not have any economic benefit to the nation should be dropped.”

Source: https://punchng.com/Tinubu-Shettima-spend-N8.64bn-on-travel-expenses-in-three-months

As a loyal supporter of Tinubus government, I believe these trips will bring positive outcomes for Nigeria and should be given a chance to do so.

Toh

Keep wasting money and then changing national anthem as if that is the priority

helinues:
Toh

maybe those online bandits are still snoring 😴 🙄 😒 their head after 🏃‍♂️ 🏃‍♂️ 🏃‍♀️ 🤔 up/down ojota,mile 12,Apongbon,Agege,iyana ipaja,,abule egba,sango etc with their 📦 📦 📦 📦 📦 of gala plus Coke,bottle water.Whatever, they are coming to wail,drag u/tell us how u are the causes/source of their misfortune,hopelessness

fullish presidents

Bastard criminals!!!

Agbadoism,
I cant be shocked anymore

You spent this much in jst 3 months but stl want to pay workers less than $40 as minimum wage... Why not decide to spend d $40 a month and see how far it wil last u and your family, at least give the breakdown of how the 60k u are suggesting wil b spent wen a bag of rice alone is 90k nd a litre of fuel is near 1k... Let's not talk about house rent and others.

Reason why they keep hailing Nigeria. The resources is abundant for them

Tomorrow, he will still give a hypocritical speech of how Nigeria needs to cut the cost of governance.

Without mincing words, only Peter Obi can cut the cost of governance amongst the three major candidates of the last presidential election.

Even money to create nuclear missiles no reach like this. Nigeria politicians are a curse!

Him go travel pass bubu.

Bubu own be say if invite am for any occasion, sharp sharp him don accept.

You asked the masses to tighten their belt, why those at the corridor of power loosen their belts.



At appointed time, revolution would sweep across the board.

Ajala the traveller

Very good...

helinues:
Toh

And you only get 30k monthly for all your hard work. This life no balance.

Renewed Hope

Minimum wage-60,000*3=180,000

Two persons -8,500,000,000. And U want banditry to stop. Dey play

It could be more. I believe over half of the money were looted.

..Thief'nubu's priority is National Anthem.. what that means is..

..he is not interested & Nigerians should also not be in the billions the certificate forger & his agbero goons are looting..they should rather Set their priority on " Nigeria I hail thee " Anthem & the political killing of soldiers in Aba by APCshit death squad..

Any Nigerian still supporting APC and Tinubu's naked failure, greed, criminality, hunger, manipulation, lies, deceit, nepotism, propaganda and corruption on any social media platform is the biggest biological mistake on this earth.

Chinkoalhaji34:
As a loyal supporter of Tinubus government, I believe these trips will bring positive outcomes for Nigeria and should be given a chance to do so.

you are a bunch of firewood how many positive outcomes does Buhari traveling brings to Nigeria for good 8yrs You better go buy your weed

You guys will keep typing typing for unverified facts. you guys we get to the top one day[color=#990000][/color]

Nigerians and rotten things na 5 &6, give Nigeria's fresh things they will not take na rotten things they like. Now we are in change with the grabber and his accomplishes

Nigeria we hail thee!!!