In the midst of Nigeria’s pressing economic difficulties, high-ranking officials in President Bola Tinubu’s administration are still engaging in extravagant foreign trips.
Memos obtained by SaharaReporters have disclosed the travel itineraries of several prominent government figures, raising eyebrows amid the dire situation faced by millions of Nigerians struggling with financial hardship. Civil society organizations and activists are calling for a significant reduction in these trips, urging that the funds be redirected to crucial sectors to revitalize the economy and create job opportunities for the youth.
There are growing calls among Nigerians to either ban or limit overseas medical treatments for government officials as part of these cost-cutting measures.
For example, a memo dated October 13, 2024, indicated that Benjamin Kalu, the 53-year-old Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, took a flight to Geneva, Switzerland, on Lufthansa Airlines. His flight, LH595, departed from Abuja around 10:20 PM.
In another case, Alhaji Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, the 58-year-old Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, returned to Abuja after a VIP trip from Rwanda. He arrived on flight WB220X from RwandAir, landing at approximately 11:39 AM.
A separate memo from October 14, 2024, reported that Muhammad Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo, the 64-year-old Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, also returned to Abuja from Frankfurt, Germany, aboard a Lufthansa flight (LH594), arriving at 4:32 PM.
Additionally, on the same day, Minister of Art, Culture, and Creative Economy Hannatu Musa Musawa, 49, departed for Algeria on Egypt Air flight MS 877X, leaving Abuja at 12:40 PM.
Sources have informed SaharaReporters that all four officials, including the House of Representatives’ Speaker, traveled on diplomatic passports.
Despite the nation’s economic challenges and restricted funding, top government officials are reportedly taking numerous foreign trips for questionable reasons. This behavior has sparked concerns over the government’s priorities and accountability. Insiders indicate that these officials benefit from preferential treatment and are granted substantial travel allowances, known as per diem (estacode).
The generous monthly allowances for these officials, which can total millions of dollars annually, are partly attributed to the continued excessive foreign travel. This is particularly alarming in light of Nigeria’s current economic climate, marked by rising inflation and deteriorating living standards.
President Bola Tinubu’s foreign travel expenses have come under intense scrutiny, with reports indicating he spent over N2.3 billion on international trips within a mere six months, from February to July 2024. Data from GovSpend, an affiliate of BudgIT, showed that from February 21 to July 19, 2024, the president’s foreign trip expenditures amounted to N2,346,623,000.
Critics have condemned these lavish trips, arguing that such spending is highly inappropriate given the prevailing economic struggles faced by many Nigerians.
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