Tinubu, Shettima, MDAs Spend N1.9 Billion On Trips, Training In France The expenditure data, sourced from GovSpend—a transparency platform operated by BudgIT—covered costs such as airfare, accommodation, visa processing, estacodes, training programs, and business meetings.
A significant portion of the funds was allocated to executive training programs, study trips, and international conferences.
According to The PUNCH, one of the bigger single disbursements was N626.91 million, paid by the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta for training and nature rating of 35 cadet pilots in South Africa, France, and Nigeria. The funds were transferred via the GIFMIS platform to the PAP Naira Transit Account at the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The State House also incurred substantive expenses on international travel. This contained N149.79 million spent on alien interchange purchases for the First Lady’s trip to France on April 1, 2024, and N6.29 million allocated in March 2024 for a five-year multiple-entry visa for the Vice President.
Several MDAs also recorded notable spending on overseas trips. The National Merit Award allocated N15.5 million as an advance payment for the course fees of eight participants attending a training program in Paris from May 14 to 20, 2023.
The Centre for Management Development disbursed N34.3 million for six officials—each receiving N5.71 million—to partake in training in France.
Senior officials also benefited from these trips. The Director-General of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, Adamu Jummai, and former Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment, Nuhu Fikpo, had their executive programs in Paris exactly funded.
Nigeria Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT) spent N41.09 million on multiple officials, comprising its Technical Adviser, Temitope Yoosuf, who attended business meetings with Airbus in Toulouse, France.
The company’s CEO, Jane Egerton-Idehen, and its Head of Corporate Affairs, Aisha Bantam, were also funded with N11.88 million and N5.65 million, respectively, to attend the World Space Business Week in Paris.
The Nigeria Football Federation allocated N124.45 million for Super Falcons players’ flight tickets for their Olympic Games qualifier against Ethiopia, with travel routes covering America, France, Spain, and Nigeria.
Additional significant expenditures comprised N10.62 million by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission for airfare costs for three officials attending the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group meeting in Paris.
The Fiscal Responsibility Commission disbursed N7.90 million for the officer’s participation in the 2023 International Bar Association Conference in France.
The Federal Ministry of Health funded N5.30 million each for David Beine Atuwo and Olusola Ayoola to cover airfare and participation in the 11th EDCTP Forum in France.
The Defence Intelligence Agency recorded two major payments, totaling N574.52 million, covering salaries of two seconded staff of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit at Interpol in Lyon, France, and the Egmont Group in Ottawa, Canada.
These expenditures have drawn scrutiny amid concerns about rising government spending and the increasing cost of governance.
With the economy confronting disputes such as high inflation, fiscal deficits, and a depreciating naira, summons for greater accountability and transparency in public spending have deepened.
Earlier, PUNCH said that in the first six months of President Bola Tinubu’s administration—June to December 2023—the State House spent at least N3.4 billion on both local and alien trips.
Similarly, in the first quarter of 2024, N5.24 billion was expended on travel expenses for President Tinubu, Vice President Shettima, and First Lady Remi Tinubu.
Between January and March 2024, N1.35 billion was allocated for presidential trips and affiliated expenses, N3.53 billion was utilised for alien currency purchases covering 10 international trips, and N637.85 million was paid to two travel agencies for presidential flight bookings.
Opposition parties have castigated President Tinubu’s frequent international travel, arguing that he prioritises trips abroad over addressing domestic challenges.
However, the Presidency has upheld his travel engagements, asserting that the leader focused on attracting alien investments must be proactive in seeking opportunities.
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A few months ago, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, also exculpated Tinubu’s frequent trips, showcasing their benefits.
“Nigeria has the money. How much does travelling cost compared to the benefits? Again, how much does it cost really when you compare it to aught of the things that the President has already addressed?
“How much have we wasted on fuel, electricity, and other subsidies? He was subsidising consumption instead of production and subsidising the well-grounded sector of the economy,” he stated.
Since taking office, Tinubu has ventured on 32 alien trips, visiting 19 countries, containing France, the United Kingdom, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Saudi Arabia, India, and South Africa, among others.
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Category: World-News
Tag: Tinubu Shettima MDAs Spend N19 Billion On Trips Training In France
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Published 3/9/2025