Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s frequent international trips, stating that the President needs to travel even more to strengthen relationships with world leaders and attract investments. Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Tuggar emphasized the importance of Tinubu’s interactions with other heads of state, noting the tangible benefits of his trips.
“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 establish relationships, and you can see the fruits of these trips. Look at the benefits,” Tuggar said. Since assuming office, Tinubu has spent approximately 96 days abroad, visiting multiple countries, including France, the United Kingdom, the United States, India, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, and Saudi Arabia, among others.
Tuggar highlighted that these travels have yielded significant results, citing an example:
“You travel once and you get $2 billion of investment like he did in Brazil… In fact, we are not travelling enough. I should suggest that we should do more.”
He further argued that the cost of the President’s trips is minor compared to the economic benefits they bring, adding, “Nigeria has the money. How much does travelling cost compared to the benefits?
And how much does it cost when you compare it to the things that the President has already addressed?
How much were we wasting on fuel subsidy, electricity subsidy, and all those subsidies?”
