President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has embarked on a 10-day official vacation, beginning Thursday, September 4, 2025, the Presidency confirmed.
In a statement released by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Nigerian leader is scheduled to split his time between France and the United Kingdom before returning to Abuja.
Onanuga stated: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja today, September 4, to commence a working vacation in Europe, as part of his 2025 annual leave. The vacation will last 10 working days. President Tinubu will spend the period between France and the UK and then return to the country.”
However, the announcement did not indicate whether Tinubu transmitted a formal letter to the National Assembly in line with Section 145(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which mandates such communication to empower Vice President Kashim Shettima as Acting President during his absence. Both chambers of the legislature are currently on recess.
okay.ng reports that the President has developed a pattern of combining official engagements with personal leave. In October 2024, he undertook a similar trip without formally notifying the Assembly, spending more than two weeks in Europe.
Since taking office in May 2023, Tinubu has built a reputation as one of Nigeria’s most travelled leaders. Data showed that in his first 17 months in office, he and Vice President Shettima embarked on 41 foreign trips to 26 countries, spending a total of 180 days abroad. Of that figure, Tinubu accounted for 124 days outside Nigeria, covering 29 trips.
His most recent engagement was in Brazil in August 2025, where he met President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Both leaders signed bilateral agreements on aviation, trade, energy, and security, including plans to revive Petrobras operations in Nigeria and establish a direct Lagos–São Paulo flight route.
Critics argue that although these travels project Nigeria on the global stage, the benefits have not trickled down to citizens grappling with high inflation, worsening insecurity, and economic hardship.
