FG allocates ₦9.4 Billion for Presidential refreshments, trips in 2025

A budget of ₦9.36 billion has been allocated for domestic and international travel, as well as refreshments, for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima in the upcoming year.

According to reports, the details are outlined in the 2025 Appropriation Bill released by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.

On Wednesday, the president presented a ₦49.7 trillion budget proposal to a joint session of the National Assembly, titled: ‘Restoration Budget: Securing Peace and Building Prosperity.’

The proposed budget allocates ₦7.44 billion for President Tinubu’s travel and refreshments, while ₦1.9 billion has been earmarked for Vice President Shettima’s similar expenses.

In 2025, international travel for the president is expected to cost ₦6.14 billion, with local trips amounting to ₦873.9 million. Additionally, ₦431.6 million has been allocated for the president’s refreshments, meals, and catering supplies.

For the vice president, international travel costs are projected at ₦1.31 billion, while local travel will amount to ₦417.5 million. Refreshments, meals, and catering supplies for the vice president are budgeted at ₦186.02 million.

In the first quarter of 2024 alone, President Tinubu, Vice President Shettima, and First Lady Remi Tinubu incurred no less than ₦5.24 billion on both local and international travel, as revealed by an analysis conducted using GovSpend, a civic technology platform tracking government expenditures.

Budget for Presidency’s Vehicles, Fuel, Honorarium, and Office Construction

The Office of the President has also proposed a budget of ₦4.76 billion for vehicles, which includes ₦3.66 billion for acquiring operational vehicles for the State House and ₦1 billion for replacing Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs). An additional ₦255.7 million is allocated for car purchases, with ₦127.8 million set aside for SUVs for both the president and vice president, and another ₦127.8 million for operational vehicles within the Presidential Conference Car Unit (CCU) fleet.

Furthermore, ₦5.94 billion has been proposed for honorarium, fuel, and the construction of an office complex for Special Advisers and Senior Special Assistants. This includes ₦2.12 billion for sitting allowances and honoraria, ₦1.99 billion for fuel, and ₦1.83 billion for constructing the office complex.