Federal MDAs Spent Over ₦50 Billion on Foreign Trips in Three Years – What the Figures Reveal

An analysis of Federal Government payment records shows that ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) released at least ₦50.41 billion for foreign trips, air tickets, estacode, offshore allowances and overseas training between June 2023 and mid-June 2026.

The figure comes from data on the GovSpend platform (developed by BudgIT) and covers 1,967 transactions involving 129 federal institutions. Because the analysis focused on payments of ₦5 million and above, the actual total is likely higher once smaller transactions are included.

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Breakdown of the spending

•  Foreign air tickets formed the largest share: about ₦23.70 billion (47%).

•  Estacode and offshore allowances: ₦17.05 billion (33.8%).

•  Other travel-related costs (visas, accommodation, logistics, etc.): ₦5.35 billion (10.6%).

•  Overseas training: ₦4.32 billion (8.6%).

Spending rose from ₦16.54 billion in the first 12-month period to ₦19.13 billion in the second, before falling to ₦14.66 billion in the third period. The number of large transactions also varied, with higher average values in the later period.

Biggest spenders

The Technical Aid Corps recorded the highest amount at approximately ₦11.70 billion. Other significant spenders included the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, State House Headquarters, the Federal Ministry of Sports Development, and several other ministries and agencies. Some large single payments related to presidential and vice-presidential trips, while others covered sports contingents, scholarships and training.

Context and concerns

Civil society organisations have raised questions about the scale of these expenditures relative to Nigeria’s broader fiscal pressures. Groups such as SERAP and Accountability Lab Nigeria have called for greater transparency, clearer justification of outcomes, and better alignment between travel spending and national priorities.

In response to ongoing concerns, the Federal Government issued a circular in August 2026 directing that no payments for official foreign trips by government appointees should be processed without prior approval from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also instructed to require evidence of such approval when handling diplomatic notes and visas.

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Why this matters

Foreign travel can serve legitimate diplomatic, training and partnership purposes. At the same time, the volume of spending invites public scrutiny, especially when many Nigerians face economic hardship. Tracking platforms like GovSpend make it easier for citizens and journalists to examine these patterns. Greater openness about the purpose, approval process and results of trips would strengthen accountability.

Readers interested in the detailed transaction-level data can explore the GovSpend platform directly. 

Any specific reporting that first compiled these particular figures should be credited to the original source.