By Chibuzor Alli
Nigeria’s federal ministries, departments and agencies spent at least N50.41bn on foreign travel between June 2023 and June 19, 2026, according to an analysis of government payment records.
The spending covered international air tickets, estacode and offshore allowances, overseas training, accommodation, visas, foreign exchange and other travel-related expenses.
The analysis of data obtained from GovSpend, a public expenditure tracking platform developed by civic-tech organisation BudgIT, identified 1,967 transactions involving 129 federal institutions and agencies.
The figures were analysed by The PUNCH.
The N50.41bn figure is a minimum estimate because the analysis covered only payments of N5m and above. Thousands of smaller travel-related payments were therefore excluded.
Of the total, N23.70bn, or 47 per cent, was spent on foreign air tickets, making it the largest category of expenditure.
Estacode and offshore allowances accounted for N17.05bn, or 33.8 per cent, while other foreign-travel expenses amounted to N5.35bn, representing 10.6 per cent. Overseas training accounted for another N4.32bn, or 8.6 per cent.
Spending peaked at N19.13bn
Foreign-travel expenditure increased from N16.54bn between June 2023 and May 2024 to N19.13bn between June 2024 and May 2025.
That represented an increase of N2.59bn, or 15.7 per cent.
Spending then fell by N4.47bn, or 23.4 per cent, to N14.66bn between June 2025 and May 2026.
The number of transactions also changed over the three periods.
There were 714 transactions in the first year, with an average payment of N23.17m. The number rose to 780 in the second year, when the average payment increased to N24.53m.
Transactions dropped to 467 in the third year, but the average payment rose further to N31.39m.
The records therefore show fewer transactions but a higher average payment in the latest full 12-month period.
Technical Aid Corps spent N11.70bn
The Technical Aid Corps recorded the highest expenditure, with N11.70bn paid through 93 transactions. The amount represented 23.2 per cent of the total identified foreign-travel spending.
Much of the agency’s expenditure was linked to offshore allowances for Nigerian volunteers and other foreign-service activities.
Its major payments included N1.45bn in July 2025, N1.27bn in April 2026, N1.23bn in May 2025 and N1.22bn in December 2025.
It also received N1.01bn in October 2025, while N884.28m and N812.24m were recorded in May and April 2026 respectively.
The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation was the second-largest spender, recording N5.16bn in two transactions.
Its largest payment was N5.15bn released in December 2024 for what the payment description identified as outstanding estacode allowances and flight tickets for the Vice-President and First Lady’s official foreign trips that were not budgeted for in 2023 and 2024.
Although the payment was processed by the Accountant-General’s office, the expenditure was linked to State House foreign trips.
State House, Sports Ministry among major spenders
State House Headquarters recorded N4.83bn across 28 transactions, while the Federal Ministry of Sports Development spent N4.10bn through 25 payments.
State House Operations for the President recorded another N2.12bn through 19 transactions, while State House Operations for the Vice-President recorded N691.66m across nine payments.
Among the State House Headquarters payments was N1.04bn for foreign exchange connected with President Bola Tinubu’s trip to Ethiopia in February 2024.
The records also included N750m for a presidential trip to Dubai in November 2023 and N426.88m for the Vice-President’s trip to Switzerland in January 2024.
The Sports Development Ministry’s N4.10bn expenditure was largely linked to Nigeria’s participation in the 2024 African Games in Accra, Ghana.
The payments covered chartered flights, participation fees, allowances, estacode and other expenses for the Nigerian contingent.
The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure recorded N2.05bn through 221 transactions, the highest number of payments by any institution in the dataset.
The Federal Ministry of Finance followed with N1.58bn across 117 transactions, while the Federal Ministry of Education recorded N1.05bn through 20 payments.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs accounted for N1.05bn across 68 transactions, while the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit recorded N1.01bn through 93 payments.
Other major spenders included the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, with N963.78m; the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, N773.68m; the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, N760.56m; and Police Formations and Commands, N731.82m.
Scholars, lawmakers and officials among beneficiaries
The Ministry of Education spent N291.03m in December 2024 on one-way air tickets for 109 Nigerian scholars travelling from Abuja to Moscow, Russia.
It also released N249.60m for one-way air tickets for 78 beneficiaries of the 2023/2024 Morocco scholarship programme.
In February 2025, the Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission paid N498.89m for air tickets and ground handling for members of the House of Representatives and commission officials travelling to Rome and Israel for what was described as a research and programme development visit.
Overall, foreign air tickets accounted for 958 transactions, while estacode and offshore allowances accounted for 488 payments.
Overseas training generated 399 transactions, while other foreign-travel expenses were recorded in 122 payments.
Rights groups question scale of spending
The spending has drawn criticism from civil society groups, which have questioned whether the scale of some foreign-travel expenditure represents value for taxpayers.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project recently raised concerns about MDA spending on estacodes.
SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said public officials were entitled to estacodes but questioned the scale of the expenditure.
“It is not like this government or public officials are not entitled to estacodes, but I don’t know the quantum that we can say is justifiable,” he said.
Oluwadare also pointed to the disparity between capital and recurrent expenditure, saying it reflected what he described as the government’s skewed fiscal priorities.
Accountability Lab Nigeria Country Director, Odeh Friday, also called for greater transparency and accountability in public spending.
“This highlights the urgent need for a shift toward greater equality and accountability in the management of public finances,” Friday said.
He said it was important to assess the outcomes of major foreign-travel expenditures and determine whether they served the interests of Nigerians.
Government tightens approval requirements
The spending figures come as the Federal Government moves to tighten controls over official foreign travel.
A circular dated August 13, 2026, issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, directed MDAs to obtain prior approval before processing payments for official foreign trips by government appointees.
The circular, referenced PRS59648/S.13/TI/335, was addressed to the Chief of Staff to the President, ministers, heads of the civil service, service chiefs, heads of federal agencies, and chief executives of parastatals and government-owned companies.
The government said some appointees continued to travel abroad without obtaining prior approval from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation despite existing regulations.
It said such non-compliance undermined efforts to promote coordination, accountability, transparency and prudent management of public resources.
The circular directed accounting officers, permanent secretaries, chief executive officers and heads of federal agencies to ensure that no expenditure relating to official foreign travel by government appointees is processed without prior OSGF approval.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also directed to require evidence of OSGF approval before processing Notes Verbales, diplomatic facilitation and visa applications for government appointees travelling abroad.
The government said the latest directive followed at least five previous circulars issued since 2012 to regulate foreign travel by cabinet members and other public officials.
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