Third anniversary: Tinubu, Shettima’s 344 days abroad stir priorities debate

President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima. Credit: State House

Since assuming office on May 29, 2023, President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima have undertaken over 75 trips across 37 countries, collectively spending 344 days abroad, STEPHEN ANGBULU reports A tally of all foreign engagements since assuming office shows that Tinubu logged approximately 261 days abroad, visiting at least 30 countries on 51 unique and recurrent trips. He also covered approximately 260,000 nautical miles and accumulated over 400 flight hours. The figures were aggregated using all officially announced trips and available flight data. Across all the destinations, the President spent the most time in France, with over 50 days in Paris during multiple official, working and private visits spanning 12 trips. Meanwhile, Shettima has spent approximately 83 days abroad, visiting 17 countries on 24 unique and recurrent trips. He has covered over 50,000 nautical miles and accumulated approximately 110 flight hours. While the Presidency argues that the extensive foreign engagements have helped restore investor confidence, strengthen diplomatic ties and attract investments, critics have questioned the frequency of the travels at a time Nigerians are grappling with economic hardship, rising inflation and worsening insecurity. Tinubu’s global diplomacy footprint On June 20, 2023, Tinubu opened his foreign schedule in Paris, the French capital, where he spent four days attending the Paris Summit for the New Global Financial Pact. On June 24, Tinubu departed Paris for London to meet privately with his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, and stayed for three days. From July 8 to 10, the President was in Guinea-Bissau to attend the 63rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, emerging 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 and Regional Economic Communities. The President began his ceremonial foreign engagements in the neighbouring Republic of Benin on August 1, 2023, to attend its 63rd independence anniversary. On September 5, he departed for India to attend the G-20 Leaders’ Summit held from September 10 to 11 at the request of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. From India, Tinubu made a technical stopover in Abu Dhabi, meeting UAE Leader, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He later spent nine days in New York at the 78th United Nations General Assembly and afterwards spent five days