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Nigerian President Bola Tinubu ordered a ban on all foreign trips by ministers and other government officials. The President gave this directive to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume. Tinubu directed an embargo on all foreign trips. However, according to the letter, the exemption could be given to “trips deemed necessary”. In January, President Tinubu issued a directive on cutting down the size of delegations for local and foreign trips.
In the letter, President Tinubu expressed concerns over the rising cost of foreign trips embarked upon by government officials amid Nigeria’s dire economic situation. According to the letter, the ban will last 90 days in the first instance and will come into effect on 1 April 2024. President also expressed his concerns about the growing need for Cabinet Members and heads of MDAs to focus on their respective mandates for effective service delivery. This temporary measure is aimed at cost reduction in governance and is intended as a cost-saving measure without compromising government functions.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari also issued a travel ban to officials in 2019. However, that ban was to allow government officials to appear before the National Assembly for budget defence. Tinubu, since his inauguration in May, has embarked on some painful reforms like fuel subsidy removal and unification of the exchange rate regime. Some of the reforms have produced inflationary pressures. However, many see the current government as not cutting down its recurrent expenditure.
Many Nigerians consider Tinubu as not committed to cutting down the cost of governance. Often, the president embarks on foreign trips with large delegations. Tinubu faced backlash during and after the last twenty-eighth Conference of Parties (COP28) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). About 590 Nigerian officials attended the conference. Aside from the president, some of the ministers have also been junketing around the world on the pretense of seeking foreign investors and investments.
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In the first seven months of Tinubu’s administration, a total of 16 official trips to France, United States, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kenya, Guinea Bissau, India, and China, among others, were made by him and the vice-president, spanning 91 days. The cost imperatives of these trips are undoubtedly huge. It is left to be seen if the president is committed to implementing this new travel restriction on his appointees.
