Tinubu extends Europe vacation again, now due back Tuesday
By Aboki Forex —
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will now return to Nigeria on Tuesday, September 29, after his working vacation in Europe was extended a second time. He had been expected back this weekend before his itinerary was revised again.
The change followed a last-minute adjustment to his travel plans, according to presidential sources. No reason for the shift was immediately disclosed.
Vacation stretches past three weeks
Tinubu left Abuja on August 30 for a three-week annual leave in Europe, with London as his first destination. The Presidency described the trip as his annual leave and said he would return afterwards to resume official engagements and join preparations for the 2027 elections.
The revised itinerary means the President's vacation now runs beyond the three-week period announced when he departed. He is expected to land through Lagos on Tuesday, two days before Nigeria marks its 66th Independence anniversary.
During his stay, Tinubu has continued to communicate with officials in Nigeria and direct government affairs, the Presidency said. He also held official engagements in France after moving there from the UK. This is his first major annual leave of 2026. His previous annual leave was in September 2025, when he spent about 10 working days in Europe.
Opposition questions absence
The extended stay abroad has drawn criticism from opposition figures, particularly with Vice President Kashim Shettima representing Tinubu at the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. The Presidency maintains Nigeria is fully represented, saying Shettima carries the President's mandate and is expected to deliver the country's national statement.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar questioned Tinubu's absence from UNGA, noting that Shettima had also represented him at the 2024 and 2025 editions. Atiku called for an explanation and asked whether issues surrounding Tinubu's history with US authorities had affected Nigeria's diplomatic engagement. The Presidency rejected the insinuations as baseless and irresponsible.
Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, also questioned Tinubu's absence in a post while commenting on Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama's address to the UNGA.