President Tinubu Departs Nigeria for Annual Leave in Europe

President Bola Tinubu has left Abuja for a ten-day working vacation in Europe, as part of his 2025 annual leave. The trip, which began on Thursday, 4 September, will see the president dividing his time between France and the United Kingdom before returning to Nigeria later this month .

This vacation follows a series of recent international engagements by the president, including state visits to Japan and Brazil in August 2025. During those trips, Tinubu participated in the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development and held meetings with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to strengthen bilateral ties .

The presidency has described this as a “working vacation,” meaning the president may combine official duties with his time off. However, no specific details about planned meetings or activities during the leave have been disclosed .

This marks Tinubu’s first annual leave in 2025, though he took a similar two-week working vacation in October 2024, also spent in France and the UK .

Since assuming office in May 2023, President Tinubu has undertaken numerous international trips, visiting 26 countries on 29 separate occasions and spending approximately 124 days abroad during his first 17 months in office .

The presidency has assured Nigerians that governance will continue smoothly in the president’s absence, though the statement did not mention whether a formal letter had been transmitted to the National Assembly to enable Vice President Kashim Shettima to act in his stead, as required by the constitution .

Tinubu’s frequent foreign travels have drawn mixed reactions from Nigerians, with some critics questioning the cost and timing amid economic challenges at home, while supporters argue that such trips are necessary for strengthening diplomatic relations and attracting foreign investment .