Despite Nigeria’s economic struggles, top officials in President Bola Tinubu’s government are still taking lavish foreign trips.
Memos obtained by The Bureau Newspaper revealed VIP trips taken by some top government officials.
The situation is dire, with millions of Nigerians facing hardship, and civil society organisations and activists calling for a drastic reduction of these trips to redirect funds towards revitalising key industries.
They propose using the savings to boost education, health, and other sectors, to create much-needed jobs for the youth.
Some Nigerians have proposed banning or limiting medical treatments abroad for government officials.
For instance, one of the memos dated October 13, 2024 shows that Nigeria’s 53-year-old Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, departed for Geneva, Switzerland onboard Lufthansa Air.
The Bureau Newspaper learnt that his flight numbered LH595 departed Abuja at around 10.20 pm.
The Bureau Newspaper also learnt that Alhaji Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, 58, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, after a VIP trip, arrived at the Abuja airport from Rwanda on a RwandAir flight.
His flight, numbered WB220X, touched down at approximately 11:39 AM.
In a related development, a memo dated October 14, 2024 revealed that 64-year-old Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development Muhammad Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo, who was also on a VIP trip, arrived in Abuja from Frankfurt, Germany, aboard a Lufthansa flight (LH594).
The Bureau Newspapers learnt that his flight numbered LH594 arrived at the Abuja airport at 4.32 pm.
Also, a memo dated October 14, 2024 reveals that 49-year-old Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy Hannatu Musa Musawa departed Abuja airport for Algeria onboard Egypt Air at 12.40 pm on a flight numbered MS 877X.
Sources told The Bureau Newspaper that all four of them including the House of Representatives’ Speaker travelled on diplomatic passports.
According to sources, top government officials in Nigeria are still taking numerous foreign trips, often for questionable reasons, despite the country’s economic struggles and limited funds.
This has raised concerns about the government’s priorities and accountability. Insiders have revealed that these officials enjoy preferential treatment and receive substantial travel allowances or per diem (estacode).
Insiders disclose that officials’ generous monthly allowances, running into millions of dollars annually, partly drive the excessive foreign trips.
The situation is particularly alarming given Nigeria’s current economic challenges.
President Bola Tinubu spent over N2.3 billion on foreign trips in just six months, between February and July 2024, sparking widespread criticism.
Data from GovSpend, an affiliation of BudgIT, revealed that between February 21 and July 19, 2024, Nigeria’s President spent N2,346,623,000 on foreign trips.
The sources condemn the extravagant trips, stating that such lavish expenditures are inappropriate given the current economic climate, which has seen rising inflation and declining living standards for many Nigerians.