Nigeria’s Presidency Spends N201 Million on Vice President’s AFCON Trip to Côte d’Ivoire

A recent review of the public payments’ portal, Govspend, has revealed that the Bola Tinubu-led presidency spent a whopping N201 million on Vice President Kashim Shettima’s trip to Côte d’Ivoire for the AFCON final match.

The expense was recorded on the portal on March 28, 2024, a month after the African Cup of Nations Final match.

The trip, which was meant to showcase national unity and support for the Super Eagles, saw an exchange of $132,384, equivalent to N201.5 million. This expense has raised eyebrows, especially considering the country’s current economic challenges.

It’s worth noting that this is not the first time the government has spent a significant amount on Shettima’s AFCON-related trips.

Earlier, it was reported that the government spent N176 million on his trip to watch the semi-final match, bringing the total cost to sponsor Shettima’s AFCON trips to N377 million.

The presidency has defended the expense, stating that Shettima’s visit to Côte d’Ivoire “serves as a powerful call for national unity and support.”

However, many Nigerians are questioning the priority of such expenses when the country is facing economic hardship.