PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu spent 22 days outside Nigeria in January 2026, visiting France, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the Republic of Türkiye, according to official records of his foreign trips.
The president’s travels have sparked criticism from civil society groups and opposition parties, who argue that such frequent absences reflect misplaced priorities given Nigeria’s domestic challenges, including insecurity, education crises, and infrastructure deficits.
Critics say that many agreements signed during these trips have yet to yield tangible benefits for Nigerians.
The national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, however defended the trips as sacrifices in the national interest.
He stated that Tinubu’s experience, exposure, and global network allow him to achieve in a single day what could take others years, including attracting investments, negotiating bilateral agreements, and advancing national security initiatives.
In January alone, Tinubu spent the first ten days in Paris, attended the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit in the UAE from January 11–17, and later visited Türkiye for a state visit from January 26–31.
Key outcomes include signing a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the UAE, eliminating tariffs on over 7,000 Nigerian products, and bilateral agreements with Türkiye covering defence, diaspora policy, trade, education, and media cooperation.
Critics, including members of the ADC, PDP, and several civil society organizations, urged the president to prioritize domestic governance, citing the urgent need for presidential attention on security, education, healthcare, and economic issues.
Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in 2023, Peter Obi, argued that Tinubu appears to only return home for political events, such as welcoming defectors, while pressing national issues remain unattended.
Despite criticism, APC officials maintain that Tinubu’s frequent foreign trips are necessary for Nigeria’s international engagements and long-term development goals.
