Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has introduced a cap on the number of people allowed to accompany him on foreign trips, placing the ceiling at 20 people.
"On international trips, the president has directed that no more than 20 individuals be allowed to travel with him. That number will be cut down to five in the case of the first lady (Oluremi Tinubu)," the president's adviser on media and publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, said in a statement in the capital Abuja on Tuesday.
"Additionally, the number in the entourage on official international trips for the vice president (Kashim Shettima) will be cut to five," Ngelale said.
During trips within the country, Tinubu "will no longer accept or allow huge security delegations to be following him from Abuja."
'Massive' bills
Ngelale said the president's domestic and foreign trips "attract massive bills" due to allowances and daily stipends given to those accompanying Tinubu.
"In terms of local trips, the president has approved a new limit of 25 members of staff to accompany him on trips within the country," Ngelale said.
The vice president will be accompanied by a maximum of 15 people, while the first lady's delegation will be capped at 10 people during domestic trips, Ngelale added.
For cabinet ministers, each will have a maximum of four people accompanying them on foreign trips, while heads of government institutions, including chief executive officers, will have a maximum of two people each.
Delegation to COP28 summit
Ngelale said President Tinubu was keen on prudent use of state funds, adding that the new directive would slash domestic and foreign travel entourages by at least 60%.
The new directive takes effect immediately, Ngelale said.
President Tinubu's move comes a month after Nigeria was faulted for taking more than 1,400 delegates to the COP28 summit in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.
Critics said the government was incurring huge expenses in transportation and accommodation costs for the delegates.
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