President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has embarked on a 10-day working holiday split between France and the United Kingdom, according to a statement from his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The President departed Abuja on Wednesday, 4 September, for the break, which forms part of his statutory annual leave for 2025. The trip follows closely on the heels of a two-week diplomatic mission to Japan and Brazil.
Although the Constitution requires the President to notify the National Assembly before handing over authority to the Vice President during such absences, no mention of a formal letter was included in the announcement. Both the Senate and House of Representatives are currently on recess.
During his recent international engagements, Tinubu participated in the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, where he held talks with Japanese business leaders and pursued investment opportunities in Nigeria.
He then proceeded to Brazil on a state visit at the invitation of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The visit resulted in bilateral agreements spanning trade, aviation, energy, and security, including preliminary discussions to revive Petrobras’ operations in Nigeria and to launch a direct air route between Lagos and São Paulo.
This latest trip adds to Tinubu’s already extensive travel record since taking office in May 2023. In his first 17 months, he and Vice President Kashim Shettima have made 41 international trips to 26 countries, clocking a combined 180 days outside Nigeria. Of those, the President alone has spent 124 days abroad across 29 trips.
The administration maintains that these travels are necessary for strengthening diplomatic ties and attracting foreign investment. Earlier visits have included stops in the United States, China, Germany, the UAE, and several African and Caribbean nations. In January, Tinubu was in Tanzania for the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit, while in May he attended the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV in Rome. June and July saw a state visit to Saint Lucia aimed at deepening Nigeria’s engagement with the Caribbean.
Critics, however, have questioned the frequency and cost of the trips, arguing that while they boost Nigeria’s diplomatic visibility, they have yet to translate into meaningful economic improvements at home. Many Nigerians continue to grapple with persistent inflation, widespread insecurity, and worsening living standards.
This is not the first time the President has taken leave without formally transferring executive powers. In October 2024, he spent over two weeks in the UK and France under similar circumstances, prompting calls for greater adherence to constitutional procedure.
