FG Allocates ₦701 Million For Remi Tinubu’s Foreign Travels In Just Three Months — Report

FG Allocates ₦701 Million For Remi Tinubu’s Foreign Travels In Just Three Months — Report

A recent report reveals that the Federal Government allocated approximately ₦701 million for the foreign trips of Nigeria’s First Lady, Remi Tinubu, over a three-month period.

In 2023, the Federal Government had earmarked ₦1.5 billion for vehicle procurement for the Office of the First Lady. This allocation was part of the ₦2.1 trillion supplementary budget approved by the National Assembly.

The budget outlined ₦2.9 billion for sport utility vehicles for the Presidential Villa and another ₦2.9 billion for replacing operational vehicles for the Presidency. However, former Senate Chief Whip Ali Ndume contended that the ₦1.5 billion was intended for the Presidency rather than the First Lady’s office.

According to a report by Punch, the government expended ₦700,707,532 on the First Lady’s foreign trips to five countries, including two in Africa. This information was verified using GovSpend, a civic tech platform that monitors federal spending.

Specific expenditures include:

• November 17, 2023: ₦77,659,888 for foreign exchange ($94,314) for the First Lady’s trip to the United States.
• February 24, 2024: ₦149,794,284 for foreign exchange ($152,831) for a trip to France on January 4, 2024.
• March 15, 2024: ₦202,386,198 for foreign exchange ($126,834) for a trip to Mozambique.
• March 15, 2024: ₦144,571,785 for foreign exchange ($96,118) for a trip to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on February 9, 2024.
• March 15, 2024: ₦126,295,377 for foreign exchange ($83,967) for a trip to London.

Additionally, the government spent ₦314,231,472 on six of the First Lady’s programs over four months. Notable expenses include:

• May 24, 2024: ₦131,921,786 paid to Rock of Ages Total Events Centre Ltd for event decoration for the First Lady’s programs.
• May 29, 2024: ₦107,630,000 paid to Makeway Nigeria Limited for multimedia and related services during the First Lady’s programs.

In total, the government spent ₦1,014,939,004 on the First Lady’s foreign trips and related programs over a period of seven months.