‘Nigeria Has The Money’ – Foreign Affairs Minister Defends Tinubu’s International Trips

Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, has advocated for President Bola Tinubu to increase his international travels, emphasizing the need to strengthen relationships with other world leaders.

In an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, the Minister argued that President Tinubu’s current travel frequency is insufficient for achieving Nigeria’s global objectives.

Despite public criticism of the President’s foreign trips, Tuggar defended them as crucial for attracting investment and fostering diplomatic ties.

The Minister highlighted Tinubu’s accomplishments abroad, such as securing $2 billion in investment during a single visit to Brazil, as evidence of the trips’ value.

Since his inauguration in May 2023, Tinubu has spent approximately 96 days abroad by May 2024, visiting countries including France, the United States, India, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, among others.

“This administration is still new. He was sworn-in in 2023. In global terms he is still a new President. He needs to interact with his colleagues, fellow heads of state to be able to establish relationships and you can see the fruits of these trips.

“Look at the benefits. You travel once and you get $2bn of investment like he did in Brazil…in fact, we are not travelling enough. I should suggest that we should do more,” the Minister stated.

Responding to concerns about the cost of these trips, Tuggar dismissed them as negligible compared to their benefits.

“Nigeria has the money. How much does travelling cost compared to the benefits. And how much does it cost when you’re comparing it to the things that the President has already addressed.

“How much were we wasting on fuel subsidy, electricity subsidy and all those subsidies?” the Minister queried.