Presidency Spends N37.6bn on Tinubu’s Trips, Travel Logistics in Three Years — Report

The Presidency spent about N37.64 billion on presidential trips, travel logistics, foreign exchange and other related expenses between June 2023 and April 2026, according to an analysis of GovSpend records.

The reported expenditure comes as President Bola Tinubu departed Abuja on Sunday for a three-week annual holiday in Europe, beginning with London.

The latest trip is expected to increase Tinubu’s number of foreign trips since assuming office to 52.

Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, said the President would return from the working holiday to “join the hectic campaign for the January 2027 elections”.

An analysis of official travel records by Daily Trust showed that Tinubu has spent about 261 days outside Nigeria, visiting at least 30 countries during 51 foreign trips since May 29, 2023.

France was reportedly his most visited destination, followed by London.

The GovSpend records showed that N9.18 billion was spent on travel-related expenses during the second half of 2023, while N25.26 billion was recorded in 2024.

The expenditure fell to N2.7 billion in 2025, with another N477.4 million spent between January and April 2026.

The highest spending was recorded in 2024, with foreign exchange allocations and expenses associated with the Presidential Air Fleet accounting for a significant portion of the expenditure.

The records also showed that $553,884, equivalent to about N700.7 million at the applicable exchange rates, was released for overseas trips involving First Lady Oluremi Tinubu between 2023 and 2024.

The expenditure has drawn questions from Transparency and Accountability Group President, Ayo Ologun, who questioned the legal basis for using public funds to finance official foreign trips involving the First Lady.

“Because her office is not recognised by the law, if it is established that public money was spent on supposed official travels, the question should be: what is the duty?” Ologun said.

“If it is spent on the wife of the President, that is abuse of power,” he added, calling for the expenditure to be subjected to scrutiny and investigation.