SUNTV Global Channel | January 9, 2026
A review of Nigeria’s 2026 budget shows that President Bola Tinubu is slated to spend N6.1 billion on international trips this year, while Vice President Kashim Shettima is expected to spend N1.3 billion, bringing the combined total for foreign travel to N7.4 billion.
The figures are included in the State House operations – President budget breakdown, which also shows N873 million earmarked for President Tinubu’s local travel in 2026.
Last Sunday, President Tinubu departed Lagos for Europe to continue his end-of-year break ahead of an official trip to Abu Dhabi, UAE, for the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit (ADSW 2026). The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the itinerary in a statement on social media.
“The weeklong summit is an annual event that mobilises leaders from government, business, and society to chart the next era of sustainable development,” the statement said.
According to the budget, N375 million has also been allocated for foodstuffs and catering materials in the fiscal year.
While official figures for 2025 presidential travel expenses remain unclear, SaharaReporters and data from the Open Treasury Portal show that in 2024, the presidency spent a staggering N36.3 billion on international travel alone. Local travel expenses for that year were N47 billion, bringing the total for travel in 2024 to N83 billion.
The high cost of presidential travel has sparked public concern amid Nigeria’s ongoing financial constraints. Opposition figure Peter Obi has previously questioned the frequency of President Tinubu’s foreign trips.
In 2025, the overhaul of the presidential aircraft’s engines alone reportedly cost N8.6 billion. Data from the GovSpend platform by BudgIT Foundation also showed that between February and July 2024, the presidency spent over N2.3 billion on foreign trips and related expenses.
Despite public concern, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has defended the expenditure, insisting that President Tinubu should continue to travel abroad to advance Nigeria’s diplomatic and economic interests.
With the 2026 budget now in effect, the upcoming trips by President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima are set to continue attracting scrutiny from the public and opposition groups over the soaring costs of presidential travels.
— Reporting by SUNTV Global Channel
