Most world leaders travel to foreign countries for business or personal trips.
These trips are usually included in the meetings of the national organizations and at the invitation of the president of a country or going on vacation, or seeking health.
On his part, the president of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, like other world leaders, has made many trips to different countries in the last year.
In this article, we have tried to find out some of the important trips that the president of Nigeria has made to other countries, and the reasons for doing them, by following the official announcements issued by his palace every time he goes on a trip.
On January 24, 2024, the president of Nigeria opened his blog for this year, after he went to France for a personal visit.
In the press release issued by the presidency, it said that he will return to Nigeria in the first week of February.
The statement did not give detailed information about the president’s visit, but perhaps that is not related to the fact that it is a personal visit.
Then on the 14th of February of the year, where the president boarded a plane to the meeting of the African Union of AU held in the city of Addis Ababa, in the country of Ethiopia.
At the meeting – which is the 37th meeting of African heads of state – President Tinubu discussed with his counterparts how Africa can help in the fight against climate change and the continent’s efforts to get representation in the G20 group, according to a statement from his palace she took out at that time.
Respond to the invitation of the king of Qatar
At the end of the month, the president planned a two-day visit to Qatar in the Arab region.
President Tinubu made the visit at the invitation of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, according to a statement from his palace.
The announcement added that during the visit of President Tinubu, he will discuss with the king of Qatar, on issues that will strengthen the cooperation between the two countries, including the issue of security and economic development.
On the 1st of April this year, the President of Nigeria went to Senegal to attend the swearing in ceremony of the new President of the country, Bassirou Faye.
President Tinubu attended the ceremony at the time at the invitation of the Senegalese government as the president of the West African Economic Development Organization (Ecowas).
Then on the 23rd of April, President Tinubu invited the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte to the country for a working visit.
When he went to the country, President Tinubu participated in the investment and trade meeting between the two countries, as stated in the announcement issued by his palace during the visit.
Also, during President Tinubu’s visit, he met with the Prime Minister and the King of the country, Willem-Alexander, and Queen Maxima of the country.
After completing a two-day official visit to the Netherlands, President Tinubu went to Saudi Arabia on the 26th of April to attend the World Economic Forum.
The conference – which was held in Riyadh – discussed the issue of international trade cooperation and sustainable energy production.
More than 1,000 heads of state and business organizations, as well as more than 90 experts, attended the meeting, as his palace stated in a statement issued at the time.
‘Attending the swearing-in ceremony’
On May 23, the president of Nigeria attended the swearing-in ceremony of the president of Chad, Mahamat Déby.
The swearing-in ceremony – held in N’Djamena – comes after the Chadian Electoral Commission declared Mahamat Déby Itno as the winner of the election.
Shugabvan attended the country along with some of his government officials.
On the 18th of June, the president of Nigeria attended another swearing-in ceremony, but in South Africa.
At that time, Tinubu flew to the Lagos airport, together with the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the deputy governor of the state, Obafemi Hamzat and other government officials.
Tinubu attended the swearing in of South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa after his re-election for a second term.
AU conference
Also on July 20, President Tinubu went to Ghana for the mid-year meeting of the AU, which was held in Accra.
During the visit of the President, he was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, where they were received by the Nigerian Ambassador to the country, Amb Dayo Adeoye.
On the 13th of August, President Tinubu left for Equatorial Guinea for a three-day working trip.
During the visit, the president of Nigeria discussed diplomatic and economic issues between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea, including the agreement to lay the pipeline.
Tinubu ended his visit on August 16, where the Prime Minister accompanied him to Malabo Airport.
‘Blog on a new plane’
Then on the 19th of August, President Tinubu changed his shoes again to France.
In the statement issued by his palace at the time, it said that the president made the trip in the new plane he bought.
The presidential palace said that the old plane used by the leaders of the country since the reign of Olusegun Obasanjo 19 years ago has been replaced.
On the 29th of August of the same year, the president of Nigeria took the road to China.
In a statement issued by his palace at the time, it said that the President will be staying in the United Arab Emirates, before arriving in Beijing where he will participate in the China-Africa trade cooperation meeting.
During the visit, President Tinubu met with the President of China, Xi Jinping and the heads of other companies in the country with the aim of promoting investment and trade between Nigeria and China.
After ending his visit to China, President Tinubu went to the UK, where he spent a few days there.
While he was in the UK, the Nigerian president met with King Charles III of Great Britain, before his return to Nigeria in September.
During the meeting, the two leaders discussed issues related to measures to deal with climate change, according to a statement from his palace at the time.
Going on a two week vacation
On the 2nd of October, the president of Nigeria returned to the UK again, but this time on part of his annual vacation for two weeks.
In the statement issued by his palace, it said that the president will use the holiday to review the economic plans of his government.
It was during this visit that Nigerians were whispering that the president was sick, and he even went to France to have his health checked.
However, on the 11th of October, his palace issued a statement denying the issue of illness, but it did not deny the fact that he had gone to France.
She even defended the decision by saying that, as someone who is on a working holiday, he has the right to travel on his own, he does not have to stay in the UK.
The president returned to Nigeria on the 19th of October after his vacation.
Then on the 10th of November, the president of Nigeria diverted his flight to Saudi Arabia to attend the meeting of Arab and Muslim nations.
During the meeting – which discussed the Gaza war – the president of Nigeria made a speech.
Wherein he agreed to establish two countries as a problem of the war in Gaza that he refused to accept and refused to accept.
A week after the meeting in Saudi Arabia, President Tinubu went to Brazil on the 18th of November to attend the meeting of the leaders of the G20 countries, the most powerful economy.
The president – who was accompanied by Senator Remi Tinubu’s roommate – received a special welcome from the Brazilian president.
During the visit, the President of Nigeria met with the heads of various countries and agencies including the head of the IMF to discuss issues related to investment in Nigeria.
Likewise, on the 27th of November, the president and his roommate again boarded a plane to Paris, France.
During the three-day official visit, the president discussed with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron to conclude agreements between the two countries.
After that, the president of Nigeria traveled to South Africa to attend the 11th meeting of the two countries, before returning to Nigeria on December 5.
Critics say that the president is traveling too much, which has made Zusuek accuse the president of spending too much government money, at the same time that the country is suffering from economic pressure.
However, the President’s office has on many occasions defended the President’s trips by saying that they are trips that are trying to promote investment in order to develop the country’s economy and improve relations between Nigeria and the world.