Sahara Reporters, via its official X handle, revealed remarks from Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, advocating for increased foreign travels by President Bola Tinubu. Tuggar justified the expenses, emphasizing the economic benefits tied to Tinubu’s international engagements.
During a live broadcast on Channels TV on Sunday evening, Tuggar defended the President’s travel frequency, asserting that Nigeria has the financial capacity to fund such trips. He argued that these travels have yielded significant economic returns, citing the President’s trip to Brazil as an example.
“Look at the benefits,” Tuggar explained. “You travel once, and you secure $2 million in investments, like the President did in Brazil. This investment will go into livestock development. Brazil, as the largest player in that sector, slaughters 50 million chickens daily and over 8 million cows. Their cows weigh 500kg compared to ours, which average 250kg. These efforts will also address the herders-farmers crisis.”
The minister further dismissed concerns about the costs, stating, “How much does traveling cost compared to the benefits? The President has already addressed numerous critical issues through these trips. In fact, we’re not traveling enough—we should do more.”
However, critics like Peter Obi have highlighted the extensive time Tinubu spends abroad. According to Obi, out of approximately 580 days in office as of December 29, 2024, Tinubu has spent over 30%—roughly 180 days—on foreign trips, with more than 30 publicly documented international visits.
In August 2024, Sahara Reporters disclosed that Tinubu’s administration spent a staggering ₦2.3 billion on foreign trips within six months. This data, sourced from GovSpend, a BudgIT Foundation analytics platform, detailed significant monthly expenditures on presidential travels and related expenses.
For instance:
January 2024: ₦300 million was paid for trips and other related expenses.
February 2024: ₦250 million was allocated for similar purposes.
March 15, 2024: Multiple payments were made, including ₦42.3 million, ₦9.48 million, ₦34.18 million, and ₦106.42 million, among others, summing up to over ₦500 million on a single day.
Additionally, between February and March 2024, the government spent ₦2.9 billion on foreign exchange for President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and First Lady Remi Tinubu’s trips to countries like Ethiopia, Switzerland, Liberia, France, and Côte d’Ivoire.
The heavy spending on international trips has sparked public debate. Critics question the justification for such exorbitant expenses amid Nigeria’s ongoing economic challenges, including inflation, unemployment, and naira depreciation.
President Tinubu’s defenders, however, argue that the trips are strategic investments in Nigeria’s future, aimed at fostering international partnerships and attracting foreign direct investments. Tuggar reiterated this sentiment, urging Nigerians to focus on the tangible outcomes rather than the costs.
While Ambassador Tuggar’s defense underscores the economic benefits of Tinubu’s foreign engagements, the mounting costs have drawn criticism from citizens and opposition leaders alike. As Nigerians grapple with the trade-offs between these investments and pressing domestic issues, the debate over the President’s frequent travels is unlikely to subside anytime soon.
PIONEER NEWS 