Suspension of public-funded foreign trips for period of three months

The Federal Government has decided to halt public-funded foreign trips for three months starting from April 1, in response to economic challenges and the necessity for responsible fiscal management.

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This directive affects Ministers, heads of departments and agencies, and other top Federal Government officials, as conveyed through a circular from the Office of Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, distributed by the Office of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to relevant ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).

The circular, shared on X, formerly Twitter, stipulates that any official going on an important foreign assignment must obtain presidential approval two weeks before the trip, and was also sent to the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

The decision was made due to concerns about rising travel expenses and the necessity for cabinet members and heads of MDAs to focus on their mandates for effective service delivery amidst current economic challenges.

The temporary ban on public-funded international trips aims at cost reduction in governance without compromising government functions, requiring all officials to seek and obtain presidential approval at least two weeks before embarking on such trips, deemed absolutely necessary.