When Nigerians elected Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023, they expected a hands-on president who would tackle the country's mounting crises head-on. What they got instead is a frequent flyer who seems more interested in air miles than addressing the problems plaguing the nation. And in the unpredictable world of naija-politics, Tinubu's obsession with foreign travel has become one of the most criticized aspects of his presidency.

This is the second time in January 2026 alone that the President has traveled abroad. Just weeks into the new year, and Tinubu is already racking up his travel miles. And this is just the beginning of what promises to be another year of constant globe-trotting.

The numbers tell a damning story. President Bola Tinubu undertook 10 foreign trips in 2025, down from his even more aggressive travel schedule in previous years. But don't let that number fool you—ten trips is still excessive for a country facing the kind of crises Nigeria is experiencing.

To put this in perspective, in their 17 months in office, President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima undertook 41 trips across 26 countries, collectively spending 180 days or six months on foreign engagements.

Six months out of 17 months spent abroad! That's more than a third of their time out of the country.

Tinubu, with the longer mileage, has logged 124 days abroad, visiting 16 countries on 29 trips. He has also accumulated over 127 flight hours.

And the financial cost? It's absolutely outrageous. Tinubu is to spend N873,886,689 on local travels, while his foreign trips will gulp N6,140,709,822 in the 2026 budget. That's over 6 billion naira just for the President's foreign trips alone in one year!

Combined with the Vice President's travel budget, Tinubu will spend N7,014,596,511 on local and international travels, and when you add Shettima's allocation, the total budget for the duo's travel amounted to N8,746,702,948.

Nearly 9 billion naira on traveling! And this is in a country where poverty is projected to rise to 62 per cent (141 million people) by 2026, reflecting weak real income growth and lingering inflation effects.

Let that contrast sink in: 141 million Nigerians living in poverty, while the President and Vice President budget 9 billion naira for trips abroad.

Meanwhile, back home, Nigeria is burning. Literally and figuratively.

There are pressing issues that require the President's urgent attention: Insecurity has reached crisis levels, with bandits terrorizing communities across the Northwest, kidnappers operating freely in various parts of the country, and insurgents still active in the Northeast. Poverty is at an all-time high, with millions of Nigerians unable to afford basic necessities. Inflation continues to make life unbearable for ordinary citizens.

But where is the President? Gallivanting from one nation to another, supposedly "attracting investment" and "building diplomatic relationships."

And what has Nigeria gained from all these trips?

Tinubu and his defenders claim these travels are necessary for economic diplomacy and promoting Nigeria's interests globally.

But where are the results? Where are the investments? Where are the jobs? Where is the improved security? Where is the economic transformation we were promised?

All we see are photo opportunities, handshakes with foreign leaders, and statements about "fruitful discussions" that never translate into tangible benefits for ordinary Nigerians.

In the ever-shifting dynamics of naija-politics, the pattern of Tinubu's travels has raised serious questions about his health and fitness for office. His frequent trips to Europe, particularly France, have fueled persistent speculation about medical tourism disguised as official business.

During the 2023 campaign, Tinubu's health was a major concern. His frequent stumbles, his slurred speech, his obvious physical struggles were all noted by voters. His team dismissed these concerns, insisting he was fit and healthy.

But his actions as President tell a different story.

The constant trips to France and the UK, the extended stays, the lack of transparency about what he's actually doing there—all of this fuels speculation that Tinubu is spending Nigerian taxpayer money to receive medical treatment in foreign hospitals.

If true, this is scandalous on multiple levels. First, it means the President is lying to Nigerians about the purpose of his trips. Second, it means he has no faith in Nigerian healthcare—the same healthcare system he's supposed to be improving. Third, it means he's spending billions on personal medical care while Nigerian hospitals crumble.

The irony is bitter. Ordinary Nigerians who can't afford basic healthcare are funding a President's frequent trips abroad, potentially for medical treatment in hospitals they could never dream of accessing.

Opposition figures have been vocal in criticizing these travels. Peter Obi has repeatedly advised Tinubu to prioritize domestic tours over foreign trips to better understand the country's problems. The PDP, NNPP, and other opposition parties have all condemned what they see as wasteful spending and dereliction of duty.

Even more damning is what the government is planning for 2026. Despite the criticism, despite the poverty, despite the economic hardship affecting millions, the presidency has actually increased the travel budget.

A sum of N6.1 billion is planned to be spent by President Bola Tinubu on international travels in the fiscal year. And when you include the entire State House operations, President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and their aides are expected to spend a combined N12.2 billion on foreign and local travels in the 2026 fiscal year .

Twelve billion naira! That's not a typo. N12.2 billion for traveling while the nation suffers.

So the question every Nigerian should be asking is: Is this what we should be expecting if Tinubu wins the 2027 presidential election? Or will it get worse?

The pattern is crystal clear. Tinubu is not a hands-on president. He's not someone who rolls up his sleeves and tackles problems directly. He's someone who prefers to be abroad, supposedly "attracting investment" and "building relationships," while his ministers handle—or mishandle—the day-to-day running of the country.

If he wins in 2027, expect more of the same. More foreign trips. More billions spent on travel. More time away from Nigeria. More photo ops with foreign leaders. More empty promises about investments that never materialize.

Because this is who Tinubu is. This is how he governs. And if Nigerians reward this behavior by giving him a second term, they have no one to blame but themselves when he spends another four years gallivanting from country to country while Nigeria burns.

The frustration is palpable across the nation. Nigerians are tired of a president who's always abroad. They're tired of excuses about "economic diplomacy." They're tired of seeing billions spent on travel while they suffer. They're tired of a leader who seems more interested in foreign acclaim than domestic solutions.

The question isn't just about the frequency of trips—though ten trips in 2025 is still excessive. It's about priorities. It's about where the President's heart and attention really are.

When you spend a third of your time abroad, when you budget 12 billion naira for traveling in a country where 141 million people live in poverty, when you prioritize international summits over addressing domestic crises, you're sending a clear message about what matters to you.

And the message is: Nigeria doesn't matter as much as my international image.

Will Tinubu change if he wins in 2027? Don't count on it. Politicians don't change their fundamental nature. If he's a traveling president now, he'll be a traveling president then. If he's spending billions on foreign trips now, he'll spend billions then—probably more.

The only difference is that if given a second term, he'll have even less incentive to care about public opinion. He won't need to worry about reelection, so he can travel as much as he wants without political consequences.

Is this the leadership Nigeria deserves? Is this what 200 million people voted for? A president who's always abroad, always spending, always promising, but never delivering?

The answer should be obvious. But in the murky waters of naija-politics, where incumbency is a massive advantage, where money can buy elections, where voters sometimes choose based on tribe rather than competence, where government machinery can be weaponized to ensure victory, Tinubu might still win in 2027 despite his abysmal travel record and his clear preference for being anywhere but Nigeria.

And if he does, Nigerians will have four more years of watching their president chase air miles and photo opportunities while their country falls apart. Four more years of billion-naira travel budgets while hospitals lack basic supplies. Four more years of a president treating Nigeria like a pit stop between international destinations rather than the nation he was elected to lead.

What do you think? Is Tinubu's constant traveling justified, or is it a dereliction of duty? Should a president spend over a third of his time abroad? Can Nigeria afford to keep funding these expensive trips while millions live in poverty? And most importantly, do Nigerians deserve better leadership than this? Drop your thoughts in the comments section!