The Federal Government of Nigeria has tightened foreign travel rules for public officials, with Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume directing ministries, departments and agencies to stop processing expenses for overseas assignments without prior approval from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The directive is contained in a circular dated August 13, 2026, and addressed to ministers, the Chief of Staff to the President, heads of federal institutions, service chiefs, permanent secretaries and chief executives of government-owned entities.
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The move comes amid renewed efforts by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to improve fiscal discipline and ensure that public funds are used for properly authorised government business.
Akume said some Federal Government appointees had continued to embark on official foreign trips without obtaining the clearance required under existing administrative procedures.
The circular, referenced PRS59648/S.13/TI/335, noted that successive directives had been issued since 2012 to regulate overseas travel by ministers and other public officials.
Despite those measures, the government said breaches had persisted, weakening attempts to promote accountability, transparency, coordination and prudent management of public resources.
“Some Federal Government appointees continue to embark on official foreign trips without obtaining prior approval from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” the circular stated.
Under the latest measures, accounting officers, permanent secretaries, chief executive officers and heads of federal agencies are expected to ensure that no expenditure connected with an official foreign trip is processed without documentary evidence of OSGF approval.
The requirement places responsibility directly on officials controlling public expenditure, rather than leaving travel compliance solely to individual officers seeking approval.
The Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation has also been instructed to verify evidence of OSGF approval when auditing official overseas travel funded from public resources.
The government warned that expenses incurred on unauthorised foreign trips would be reported under existing financial regulations and applicable audit procedures.
The circular states that any expenditure arising from official foreign travel undertaken without the necessary approval “shall be reported appropriately” in line with established financial and audit procedures.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been given an additional gatekeeping role.
The ministry is required to make evidence of OSGF approval a condition for processing Notes Verbales, diplomatic facilitation and visa applications involving government officials travelling abroad.
Foreign embassies and diplomatic missions accredited to Nigeria are also to be informed that applications for official, diplomatic and service visas by government appointees must include valid evidence of the required approval.
The policy is the latest in a series of attempts by the Tinubu administration to curb the cost of official travel.
In March 2024, President Bola Tinubu ordered a three-month suspension of publicly funded international trips by ministers, heads of agencies and other government officials, beginning April 1. Officials seeking exceptions were required to obtain presidential approval for trips deemed absolutely necessary.
That decision followed public criticism over the size and cost of Nigerian government delegations to international events, including the 2023 United Nations climate conference in Dubai.
The administration’s broader approach has been to reduce the financial burden of official travel while ensuring that essential diplomatic and economic engagements continue.
More recent audit concerns have also highlighted the practical importance of enforcing the rules.
An audit report concerning the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, for example, alleged that its chief executive incurred more than N230.5 million on international travel in 2024 and breached existing travel directives.
The agency’s spokesperson disputed the allegations and said international travel was necessary to promote Nigerian exports.
That episode illustrates the tension surrounding official foreign travel. International engagements can serve legitimate diplomatic, commercial and institutional purposes, but weak documentation or inadequate approval can make it difficult to demonstrate that expenditure represents value for money.
The new measures therefore place greater emphasis on documentation before public money is spent.
For federal officials, approval will now need to be established not only within their respective institutions but also through the OSGF before expenses connected to an overseas assignment can be processed.
The arrangement also creates a stronger audit trail because approval evidence is expected to follow the transaction from the initial travel request through payment and subsequent audit.
Akume has directed ministers, permanent secretaries, accounting officers and heads of ministries, departments and agencies to ensure full compliance.
The effectiveness of the policy will ultimately depend on how consistently the new controls are applied across government institutions.
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With the Auditor-General and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs brought into the enforcement chain, however, the Federal Government is signalling a firmer approach to unauthorised official travel and the use of public funds.
Victory Emmanuel is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
