NEWS
President Tinubu’s Foreign Trips In One year
Since being sworn in on May 29, 2023, President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has embarked on at least 19 trips abroad for both official and unofficial purposes.
President Tinubu began his official travels in June, just weeks after taking office. According to him and his team, the trips aimed to enhance Nigeria’s global standing, promote economic growth, and tackle various national challenges.
In this analysis, BIZTELLERS delves into the president’s international journeys during his inaugural year, shedding light on the purpose of each trip and its impact on Nigeria’s pressing issues.
In June, just a few weeks after taking office, President Tinubu embarked on his inaugural international journey to France for the New Global Financial Pact Summit.
During the two-day summit, the President championed his vision for expanding the fiscal realm, advocating for economic justice in Africa amidst the global energy transition, and stressing the imperative of tackling poverty and climate change on a global scale.
Following the summit in France, President Tinubu was scheduled to return to Nigeria.
However, his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communication, and Strategy, Dele Alake, announced that the President would make a brief private visit to London before returning for the Eid-el-Kabir festivities.
On July 8, President Tinubu embarked on his first official visit within Africa since taking office, traveling to Guinea-Bissau for the 63rd Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
During the summit, he was elected as the new Chairman of ECOWAS, succeeding President Umaro Sissoco Embaló of Guinea-Bissau.
On July 15, President Tinubu traveled to Kenya in his capacity as Chairperson of ECOWAS to attend the Fifth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting (5thMYCM) of the African Union (AU), the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the Regional Mechanisms (RMs), and the African Union Member States.
The meeting aimed to enhance regional integration within ECOWAS, with a particular focus on initiatives related to trade, the free movement of people, promotion of investment, infrastructure development, as well as fostering peace, security, and stability in the region.
On August 1, President Tinubu undertook a brief journey to the Benin Republic to participate in the country’s 63rd independence anniversary ceremony.
Subsequently, he received a special invitation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the G-20 Leaders’ Summit. President Tinubu then traveled to New Delhi, India, on September 4 to participate in the summit.
During his visit to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), President Tinubu met with President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to address the visa ban on Nigeria and discuss bilateral relations.
In September, President Tinubu journeyed to New York, United States of America, to participate in the 78th United Nations General Assembly.
During his address, President Tinubu underscored the significance of prioritizing African development, urging world leaders and global institutions to increase investment in the continent.
On November 9, President Tinubu departed from Abuja for Saudi Arabia to participate in the inaugural Saudi-Africa Summit scheduled for November 10.
The summit’s agenda focused on fostering joint initiatives, improving political coordination, addressing regional security challenges, and promoting economic transformation through research and the domestic development of innovative energy solutions.
President Tinubu embarked on another journey to Bissau, Guinea-Bissau, on November 15, to commemorate the country’s 50th independence anniversary and armed forces day.
Subsequently, on November 18, President Tinubu traveled from Nigeria to Berlin, Germany, to participate in the G20 Compact with Africa (CwA) conference.
At the conference, President Tinubu joined other Heads of State from CwA member countries to discuss ways to enhance economic and business cooperation, with a focus on increasing investments in various sectors such as energy, trade, infrastructure, and new technologies.
President Tinubu departed from Abuja for Dubai on November 28 to attend the COP28 Climate Summit, also known as the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (UNFCCC).
The summit stirred controversy among Nigerians on social media when it was disclosed that over 1,400 Nigerian delegates accompanied the President.
On January 24, President Tinubu resumed his international engagements with a private visit to Paris, France, marking his first trip of the year.
Subsequently, the President embarked on a two-day visit to Qatar on February 29, following an invitation from the Emir of the State of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. President Tinubu returned to Nigeria on March 4, after the visit aimed at bolstering cooperation between Qatar and Nigeria in various domains, including security, cultural exchange, and economic development.
2023 — No. of Days
20 Jun: 🇫🇷France — 7 days
24 Jun: 🇬🇧United Kingdom — 3 days
08 Jul: 🇬🇼Guinea-Bissau — 2 days
15 Jul: 🇰🇪Kenya — 2 days
01 Aug: 🇧🇯Benin — 0 day
04 Sep: 🇮🇳India — 6 days
10 Sep: 🇦🇪UAE — 2 days
18 Sep: 🇺🇸USA — 11 days
09 Nov: 🇸🇦Saudi Arabia — 7 days
16 Nov: 🇬🇳Guinea — 0 day
18 Nov: 🇩🇪Germany — 4 days
29 Nov: 🇦🇪UAE — 6 days
2024 — No. of Days
24 Jan: 🇫🇷France — 13 days
15 Feb: 🇪🇹Ethiopia — 4 days
29 Feb: 🇶🇦Qatar — 4 days
02 Apr: 🇸🇳Senegal — 0 day
23 Apr: 🇳🇱Netherlands — 3 days
26 Apr: 🇸🇦Saudi Arabia — 12 days
23 May: 🇹🇩Chad — 0 day
2023 — 50 Days
2024 — 36 Days
President Tinubu’s foreign trips accounted for a total of 6 days out of 366 days, roughly equating to spending approximately 1 in every 4 days abroad during the year.
NEWS
N1.7trn Loan: Atiku Blames NASS For Worsening Nigeria’s Debt Burden
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has criticized the federal government’s plan to secure an additional N1.7 trillion loan through Eurobonds to cover a shortfall in the 2024 budget, describing the borrowing as unsustainable and harmful to Nigeria’s economy.
In a statement shared on Thursday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of burdening Nigerians with debt while failing to provide clear answers about the country’s fiscal challenges.
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He also faulted the National Assembly for enabling what he called a “voracious appetite” for loans.
The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate expressed alarm over a recent World Bank report ranking Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), calling the development troubling.
“The recent report released by the World Bank, showing Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), is very concerning,” Atiku stated.
He raised further concerns about the government’s decision to benchmark the proposed loan at an exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official rate being over N1,600.
“What makes this particular loan proposal even more concerning is that it is benchmarked at the exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, whereas the current exchange rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria stands at over N1,600 to 1 USD,” he said.
Atiku questioned the need for additional borrowing, given the government’s earlier claims of record-high revenue collection.
“In July this year, Tinubu boasted that the FIRS and Customs under his watch had collected all-time high revenues to finance the budget. Why are they still borrowing?” he said
He accused the government of a lack of transparency, describing the borrowing spree as detrimental to Nigerians already struggling under economic hardship.
“There is something that they are not telling Nigerians, even as they are being crushed by a combination of their failed trial-and-error policies and loan rackets.”
Atiku also referenced a report by BudgIT, a budget monitoring group, which criticized the 2024 budget for its inefficiencies.
He alleged that corruption, rather than infrastructure or development needs, was driving the government’s borrowing decisions.
“These loans are powered by corruption and not for infrastructure and development needs. This voracious appetite for humongous loans is deeply concerning,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s financial history, Atiku lamented the return to significant foreign indebtedness just years after former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration cleared the country’s debt.
“It is agonizing to see that just a few years after the Obasanjo administration took us out of foreign indebtedness, we are today back at the top spot in the same conundrum,” he stated.
He called for a more cautious approach to borrowing, urging the government to prioritize fiscal responsibility and transparency to avoid worsening Nigeria’s economic challenges.
International News
ICC Issues Arrest Warrants For Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Others
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a historic step, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.
In a detailed statement, the ICC accused the Israeli leaders of “intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”
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The ICC’s move marks a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant are alleged to have orchestrated policies that caused severe harm to the civilian population in Gaza, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.
Alongside the charges against Israeli officials, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Deif has long been a central figure in Hamas’s military operations. Israel’s military claims to have killed him in a July airstrike, although this has not been independently verified.
The warrants highlight growing calls for accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the region. The ICC’s actions are likely to provoke heated debate and may complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.
With the warrants issued, global attention now turns to how the international community will respond and whether any practical steps will be taken to enforce them.
NEWS
Edo State Governor Sets Up Committee To Recover Missing Gov’t Vehicles
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has inaugurated a 12-member committee tasked with recovering government vehicles reportedly in private hands.
The committee, led by Kelly Okungbowa, has been given a two-week mandate to retrieve the vehicles and ensure their return to the state government.
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Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Benin City, Governor Okpebholo emphasized the importance of accountability in the management of public resources.
He urged the committee to carry out its assignment thoroughly and within the bounds of the law.
In his response, Okungbowa expressed gratitude to the governor for entrusting the team with the assignment, vowing to deliver results within the stipulated timeframe.
“A lot of vehicles used by the past administration are missing, as those in custody of the vehicles have refused to return them,” Okungbowa said.
“The governor deemed it fit to inaugurate us today with a mandate to recover all government vehicles in private hands.”
The committee, which includes representatives from Edo’s three senatorial districts, is set to investigate and recover the vehicles based on credible intelligence already at their disposal.
“We already have vital information regarding some persons still holding government vehicles,” Okungbowa stated. “We will do the job according to the law, and both the government and the people will be satisfied with the outcome.”
He also called on members of the public to assist the committee by providing information about any government vehicles that may still be in private possession.
“We want to appeal to members of the public who might be aware of anyone still keeping government vehicles in their houses to please inform us to enable the committee to recover such for the Edo State Government,” Okungbowa said.
The committee’s vice chairman, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror, a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, will work alongside other members to ensure the success of the initiative. The public can reach the committee at 08110165121.