Tinubu and Shettima Allocate N9.36 Billion for Travel and Refreshments in 2025 Budget

In 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima will allocate N9.36 billion for domestic and international travel, as well as refreshments, according to the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning's 2025 Appropriations Bill.

President Tinubu presented the N49.7 trillion 2025 budget proposal, titled "Restoration Budget: Securing Peace and Building Prosperity," to a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday.

The proposal specifies that Vice President Shettima will spend N1.9 billion on travel and refreshments, while President Tinubu will allocate N7.44 billion. Tinubu's budget includes N6.14 billion for international travels, N873.9 million for domestic trips, and N431.6 million for catering and refreshments. Shettima has allocated N417.5 million for domestic travel, N1.31 billion for international travel, and N186.02 million for catering and meals.

An investigation using GovSpend, a civic tech platform tracking federal government expenditures, revealed that Tinubu, Shettima, and First Lady Remi Tinubu collectively spent nearly N5.24 billion on travel between January and March 2024.

The 2025 budget also includes significant funding for vehicles, honoraria, and infrastructure for senior officials. The President’s Office has proposed N4.76 billion for vehicles, including N1 billion to replace SUVs and N3.66 billion for operational vehicles. An additional N255.7 million is allocated for other automobile purchases, divided equally between the president's and vice president’s SUVs and the Presidential Conference Car Unit fleet.

Further allocations include N5.93 billion for generator fuel, honoraria, and office construction for Senior Special Assistants and Special Advisers. This encompasses N1.83 billion for office complexes, N1.99 billion for fuel, and N2.12 billion for honoraria and sitting allowances.

After presenting the budget, both chambers of the National Assembly discussed and approved the "Restoration Budget" for a second reading. The Senate, led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, referred the budget to the Committee on Appropriations for further review. Similarly, the House of Representatives forwarded the bill to its Appropriations Committee for additional scrutiny.

The House also passed a bill to extend the capital component of the 2024 budget to June 30, 2025. Introduced by House Leader Rep. Julius Ihonvere, the bill was titled "A Bill for an Act to Amend the Appropriation Act, 2024, to Extend the Implementation of the Capital Component of the Appropriation Act, 2024, from 31 December 2024 to 30 June 2025 and for Related Matters (HB.2023)."

For the Yuletide break, both houses of the National Assembly have postponed their sessions until January 14, 2025.