22 March 2024
Nigerian President Bola Tunibu has banned ministers and other government officials from traveling abroad for three months.
The head of the president’s office stated that the decision to implement this measure was made due to the concern that the cost of the government officials’ trips abroad would increase significantly.
The ban will take effect after ten days.
President Tunibu and his officials are often criticized for their frequent trips to foreign countries.
The president has made more than 15 foreign trips since assuming office in May last year.
The president reportedly spent at least 3.4 billion naira (2.2 million) on domestic and foreign travel in the first six months.
This is 36 percent more than the budget for 2023, Nigerian newspaper Punch reported, referring to GovSpend, an institution that monitors government spending.
Amidst the current economic crisis Nigeria is facing, the travel ban will reduce costs and ensure responsible spending of the country’s money, said the Head of the Office of the President, Femi Bajabiamila.
The West African country is struggling with inflation and the cost of living at levels not seen in decades. This situation left many people in dire straits and caused national outrage.
It is said that the president has imposed a three-month ban on government officials and is trying to reverse the public protests that are coming against them.
In January of this year, government officials, including the President’s own entourage, announced that they would reduce travel delegations by about 60 percent.
When the current ban goes into effect, government officials will only be able to travel abroad to “critically important” locations. They must also obtain the President’s approval at least two weeks before their departure.
Bajabiamila added that the travel ban will make government officials focus on performing their duties effectively and providing services.
The President, who has imposed a travel ban on his government officials, has not said that this will be applied to his own trips.
The president and his officials have been heard arguing that foreign travel is critical to addressing the economic woes that the public has criticized for neglecting.
