As President Bola Tinubu returns from his latest foreign engagement in Türkiye, STEPHEN ANGBULU examines his travels since he assumed office 33 months ago
President Bola Tinubu’s foreign trips have continued to spark reactions from the public, especially his recent international engagements. Every president since the inception of the Fourth Republic has embarked on foreign trips, either for official assignments or holidays.
On the evening of December 19, 2021, then-President Muhammadu Buhari returned to Abuja after a three-day official visit to Türkiye for the third Türkiye-Africa Partnership Summit in Istanbul.
In October of that year, Buhari received Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, at the State House, where both leaders reviewed 24 bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding and authorised the signing of those they agreed to.
Four years earlier, in October 2017, Buhari had visited Türkiye, where both countries signed agreements on defence cooperation, military training, counter-terrorism, and a pledge from two Turkish companies to collaborate with Nigeria’s Defence Industries Corporation in Kaduna.
Nearly a decade after that visit, his successor, Tinubu, departed Abuja on January 26, 2026, for a state visit to Türkiye, his 47th foreign trip since assuming office in May 2023.
Tinubu met with Erdoğan, signed nine agreements, and returned with promises of deeper bilateral cooperation. Upon his return on February 1, 2026, he had spent 22 days outside Nigeria that month, a figure that reignited debate about the costs and benefits of presidential foreign travel.
While the debate is populated by new voices, controversies around presidential travels stretch back through the country’s democratic dispensation.
President Olusegun Obasanjo, who governed from 1999 to 2007, made 113 foreign trips during his first term alone. In a period of three years, Obasanjo spent 340 days outside the country, just two weeks shy of a full calendar year.
President Umar Yar’Adua, who succeeded Obasanjo, spent 109 days abroad during his 32-month tenure. This represented almost a quarter of his working days. Most were medical trips to Germany and Saudi Arabia.
President Goodluck Jonathan followed suit in 2011, leading a delegation of 10 ministers and five governors to Ankara, where he signed a bilateral trade agreement with Erdoğan, who was then the Prime Minister before constitutional changes in 2014 elevated him to president.
The trend of frequent foreign travel has continued under successive administrations, and the tradition remains pronounced under Tinubu. In their 33 months in office, Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima have undertaken 69 trips across 35 countries, collectively spending 315 days abroad, Sunday PUNCH findings reveal.
Tinubu has logged 245 days outside the country, visiting 28 countries on 47 unique and recurrent trips. He has also covered approximately 240,000 nautical miles (about 445,000 kilometres) and accumulated over 380 flight hours.
Our correspondent arrived at these figures by compiling all officially announced presidential trips from State House statements, government sources and available flight data, from Tinubu’s first trip in June 2023 to his return on February 1, 2026.
The distances were calculated using the great-circle formula, also known as Vincenty’s formula, which measures the shortest path between two points on the Earth’s surface, from Abuja to each destination. For trips with multiple legs, distances were calculated point-to-point.
Flight hours were estimated based on an average cruising speed of 850 kilometres per hour for executive jets such as the Presidential Airbus A330, which Tinubu acquired in August 2024. However, the President alternated between different aircraft for the trips, and not all were flown on the A330.
Paris, the French capital, remains Tinubu’s most frequented destination, with 11 visits since assuming office. London followed with nine visits, while the United Arab Emirates has hosted him four times, split between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
He has visited Brazil three times, with Riyadh, South Africa, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau and Ethiopia each recording two visits by the President.
Other destinations include New Delhi, The Hague, Berlin, Dakar, Doha, N’Djamena, Malabo, Beijing, Dar es Salaam, Rome and the Vatican, Castries in Saint Lucia, Yokohama, and most recently, Ankara in Türkiye.
Meanwhile, Shettima has spent 70 days abroad, visiting 16 countries on 22 unique and recurrent trips. He has covered approximately 43,000 nautical miles (about 79,000 kilometres) and accumulated over 93 flight hours.
His destinations have included Rome, St. Petersburg, Johannesburg, Havana, Beijing, the United States, Davos in Switzerland, Yamoussoukro, Nairobi, Stockholm, Baku, Liberia and Conakry.
Tinubu’s foreign engagements
On June 20, 2023, Tinubu began his foreign schedule in Paris, the French capital, where he participated in the Paris Summit for the New Global Financial Pact during a four-day stay.
On June 24, Tinubu departed Paris for London, the United Kingdom, for private engagements, including talks with his predecessor, Buhari, and stayed for three days.
From July 8 to 10, he was in Guinea-Bissau to attend the 63rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States, where he emerged as Chairman of the regional bloc.
In his capacity as ECOWAS Chairman, Tinubu was in Nairobi, Kenya, from July 15 to 17 for the fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union, the Regional Economic Communities, the Regional Mechanisms and AU Member States.
Launching ceremonial engagements
Tinubu launched his foreign ceremonial engagements in the neighbouring Republic of Benin on August 1, 2023, when he attended the country’s 63rd Independence Anniversary.
Afterwards, he remained in Nigeria for over a month to organise his cabinet of ministers nominated to the Federal Executive Council. The council was inaugurated on August 21 and held its inaugural meeting on August 28, 2023.
On September 5, he resumed foreign travels in New Delhi, India, where he attended the G20 Leaders’ Summit, held from September 10 to 11.
Upon leaving India, where he spent one week, the President made a technical stopover in Abu Dhabi, the Emirati capital, where he met UAE President, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Later that month, the President spent nine days with world leaders in New York, USA, at the 78th United Nations General Assembly, which began on September 19, marking his first UNGA as President. Afterwards, he proceeded to Paris, where he spent five days. Tinubu arrived in Abuja on September 29 ahead of Nigeria’s 63rd Independence Anniversary on October 1.
On November 9, 2023, the President left Nigeria for Saudi Arabia to attend the Saudi-Africa Summit in Riyadh. He departed Saudi Arabia on November 16 for the 50th Independence Anniversary of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.
On November 18, Tinubu embarked on his third trip to Europe, during which he attended the G20 Compact with Africa Conference, hosted by German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, in Berlin. The conference was held on November 20, after which Tinubu returned to Abuja six days later.
A week after returning from Germany, he departed for Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to attend the COP28 Climate Summit, and returned on December 5.
He resumed travels on January 24, 2024, to Paris, where he spent 14 days on a private visit, returning on February 6.
On February 15, the President proceeded to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he spent four days participating in the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of African Union Heads of State and Government.
Tinubu then visited Doha, the Qatari capital, where he was from February 29 to March 4 on an official visit.
On April 2, he joined other African leaders in Dakar, the Senegalese capital, to inaugurate the country’s new and youngest President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
From April 23 to 26, Tinubu was in the Netherlands for a state visit. Afterwards, he proceeded to Riyadh, the Saudi capital, to participate in the 2024 Special World Economic Forum on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development, held from April 26 to 28.
He flew to London on April 29, where he spent nine days before returning on May 8, amid public speculation about his whereabouts.
On May 23, the President was in N’Djamena, the Republic of Chad, to attend the inauguration of President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno.
From June 18 to 20, Tinubu visited Pretoria, South Africa, where he attended President Cyril Ramaphosa’s inauguration and held bilateral talks afterwards.
He also spent three days, from July 19 to 22, attending the 6th Mid-Year Coordination Meeting of the African Union in Accra, Ghana.
The President was also in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, for a three-day official visit from August 14 to 17. Tinubu embarked on his maiden flight aboard his newly acquired Airbus A330 luxury jet to Paris, France, the next day. He returned after four days to swear in the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.
The President resumed his trip on August 29 in Beijing, China, where he held bilateral talks with his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping. Tinubu departed China for the United Kingdom, where he spent seven days, returning on September 14.
On October 2, a day after attending the 64th Independence Day Anniversary, Tinubu departed Abuja for the United Kingdom again on a two-week working leave. He spent nine days there and proceeded to Paris, France, for an “important engagement,” according to his Senior Special Assistant on Political and Other Matters, Ibrahim Masari. He returned to Nigeria on October 19.
On November 17, Tinubu departed for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to attend the 19th G20 Leaders’ Summit, held from November 18 to 19, at the invitation of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
From November 27 to December 1, the President was in France for a three-day state visit at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, the first by a Nigerian president in 24 years, since President Olusegun Obasanjo’s visit in 2000. Both leaders signed agreements on infrastructure development and agricultural cooperation.
On December 2, Tinubu travelled to Cape Town, South Africa, where he and President Cyril Ramaphosa co-chaired the 11th Bi-National Commission between Nigeria and South Africa. He returned to Abuja on December 5.
The 2025 trips
In 2025, Tinubu travelled to 11 countries for various purposes. His first trip of the year was to Ghana to attend the inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama on January 7, before proceeding to the UAE for the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit from January 12 to 16, and later to Tanzania to participate in the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam from January 27 to 28.
In February, Tinubu travelled to France on a private working visit before proceeding to Ethiopia to attend the African Union Heads of State and Government Summit in Addis Ababa.
In April, the President embarked on a two-week working visit to France and the United Kingdom, during which he held consultations with officials and political stakeholders. He departed on April 2 and returned on April 21, after spending 18 days abroad.
In May, Tinubu visited Italy, where he attended the inauguration Mass of Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican.
The President embarked on a two-leg trip in late June and early July, visiting the island nation of Saint Lucia on a state visit from June 28 to July 4, marking Nigeria’s first presidential visit to the Caribbean nation, where he addressed CARICOM leaders in Castries. From Saint Lucia, he proceeded to Brazil to attend the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro from July 4 to 7.
In August, Tinubu made a stopover in Dubai, UAE, on August 15, before arriving in Yokohama, Japan, on August 18 for the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development held from August 20 to 22.
He subsequently proceeded to Brasília, Brazil, for a two-day state visit from August 24 to 25, during which Nigeria signed agreements on trade, aviation, energy and security cooperation with Brazil.
In September, President Tinubu undertook a 10-day working vacation between France and the United Kingdom from September 4 to 17. During the trip, he held a private luncheon with French President, Emmanuel Macron, at the Élysée Palace.
The President departed Lagos on December 28 for what the Presidency described as an end-of-year break in Europe, during which he spent time in France, where he met with Rwandan President, Paul Kagame.
The President opened his 2026 schedule with multiple engagements, during which he spent 22 days abroad in January alone.
Within the period, Tinubu visited France for about 10 days as part of his year-end break, the United Arab Emirates from January 12 to 17 for the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit, and the Republic of Türkiye from January 26 to 31 for a state visit.
During the Türkiye visit, Tinubu and Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, signed agreements worth $5bn, aimed at boosting bilateral trade, with cooperation spanning energy, media, higher education and Halal Quality Infrastructure.
The President returned to Abuja on February 1, at about 8:55pm, marking the conclusion of a month that saw him spend 22 days abroad.
Tinubu, Shettima’s absence from the country
On at least four occasions, Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima have been out of the country simultaneously. Between late April and early May 2024, while Tinubu was in London after visiting the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia, Shettima left Nigeria first for Kenya, then attempted to proceed to Dallas, Texas. He was initially scheduled to represent Tinubu at the US-Africa Business Summit in Dallas but returned mid-flight due to a technical fault with his aircraft.
In October 2024, Shettima’s trip to Sweden meant both officers were concurrently absent from the country while Tinubu was on a working leave in the United Kingdom and France. For a few hours in January 2026, Shettima departed the country for Guinea-Conakry while Tinubu prepared to return from his state visit to Türkiye.
However, the Presidency defended the overlapping absences, saying Tinubu and Shettima continued to discharge their duties from abroad.
“The Constitution, a testament to our adaptability in the virtual age, does not explicitly require the physical presence of either the President or the Vice President in the country at all times to fulfil their duties,” argued Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy.
“The two principal officers are fully engaged with the nation’s affairs, even while away,” he added.
President urged to pursue only most crucial engagements
The Executive Director of the Abuja-based Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Auwal Rafsanjani, told Sunday PUNCH that although foreign trips are part of governance, leaders must only pursue engagements that deliver the highest returns to Nigerians.
“I think it is essential that public officials understand that the country does not have the resources to embark on travels without significant economic value. While we cannot ask public officers to stop travelling altogether, they should minimise careless and reckless spending when embarking on some of these trips,” Rafsanjani said.
Similarly, the Executive Chairman of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, argued that such engagements were necessary to cement Nigeria’s place in the comity of nations.
“Politicians who have just assumed office often seek to establish credibility in the comity of nations, articulate their agenda and secure endorsements from key international actors.
“I think they are trying to lay a solid foundation for international relations in line with their foreign policy objectives, possibly to correct past shortcomings. Some of these travels were necessary, particularly engagements such as the G20 Summit in India and the BRICS Summit,” Adeniran added.
Presidency defends Tinubu’s trips
Meanwhile, Onanuga defended the administration’s approach to foreign engagement, describing the trips as a lifeline for projecting Nigeria’s vision globally.
He said, “These trips are essential. The administration has to sell Nigeria, and the President has performed well as the chief marketer of the country, presenting Nigeria as a prime destination for investment.
“Those who say the trips are unnecessary should examine the benefits derived. For instance, agreements were signed in Dubai on Siemens’ involvement in Nigeria’s power sector.”
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