President Bola Tinubu has taken decisive steps to curb expenses by implementing a 60% reduction in official entourages during both local and international travels. The announcement was made by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, during a briefing at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday.
Ngelale explained that the cost-cutting directive applies to various government offices, including the President, Vice President, First Lady, Wife of the Vice President, and all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. Tinubu has specifically opted for a significant reduction in security delegations accompanying him on domestic travels, aiming to minimize the financial burden associated with allowances and estacode.
The new measures stipulate that, domestically, the President will travel with a maximum of 25 staff members, while the entourage for the First Lady and the Wife of the Vice President is limited to 10. Similarly, the Vice President will be accompanied by a maximum of 15 staff members on local trips.
Internationally, Tinubu has directed that only 20 individuals will be allowed to travel with him, with a further reduction to five for the First Lady and the Vice President on official international trips. For local trips, ministers are restricted to four accompanying staff members, and heads of agencies can travel with only two individuals.
These cost-cutting measures follow recent criticism of the Tinubu administration’s large entourage during the COP28 Climate Change Summit in Dubai, prompting the President to address and tackle the issue directly.
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