Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has slashed the number of vehicles and security personnel that government ministers will have, moving forward, in efforts to save state funds.
The head of state's special adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said in a statement on Thursday that Tinubu "has restricted ministers, ministers of state, and heads of agencies of the federal government to a maximum of three vehicles in their official convoys."
Onanuga added that "no additional vehicles will be assigned to them for movement."
The president's adviser further said Tinubu has also "ordered all ministers, ministers of state, and heads of agencies to have at most five security personnel attached to them."
'Suitable reduction'
"The security team will comprise four police officers and one Department of State Services (DSS) officer. No additional security personnel will be assigned," Onanuga said.
Tinubu also instructed the National Security Adviser to "engage with the military, paramilitary and security agencies to determine a suitable reduction in their vehicle and security personnel deployment."
The new directive takes effect immediately, Onanuga said.
The announcement comes a day after President Tinubu reorganised his government. He sacked five ministers, merged certain ministries, and nominated seven new people to serve as ministers.
Foreign delegation
In January, the head of state reduced his entourage on foreign trips from 50 to 20 officials. For local trips, he reduced it to 25 officials.
He also reduced Vice President Kashim Shettima's entourage to five officials on foreign trips and 15 for local trips.
Tinubu said at the time that the move was part of his efforts to prudently manage state resources.
The president, who has faced criticism over his economic reform policies, said his recent cabinet reorganisation will "reinvigorate" his administration's "capacity for optimal efficiency."
The changes come as Nigeria grapples with a cost of living crisis, worsened by high prices of food and fuel.
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