The latest departure on April 2, 2025, marks Tinubu’s seventh visit to France since assuming office in May 2023. His total trips to the country since March 2023 now stand at nine. The trips have drawn attention due to their frequent nature and the reported medical reasons behind several of them.
President Bola Tinubu’s recent trip to Paris, France, for a two-week working visit has raised questions about his frequent travels to the European country, particularly in light of his ongoing medical treatments.
The latest departure on April 2, 2025, marks Tinubu’s seventh visit to France since assuming office in May 2023. His total trips to the country since March 2023 now stand at nine. The trips have drawn attention due to their frequent nature and the reported medical reasons behind several of them.
A Pattern of Medical Trips
Tinubu’s first known medical trip to France occurred shortly after his election in March 2023 when he was flown to the country for treatment following a period of strenuous campaigning. This March 21 trip followed a viral video in which Tinubu appeared to have suffered from visible health issues, leading to speculation about his well-being. He returned to Nigeria on April 24.
On May 9, 2023, SaharaReporters reported that Tinubu was set to return to France that night to see his doctors, in preparation for his inauguration on May 29.
SaharaReporters exclusively learnt that Tinubu would be leaving in the night but would return before his swearing-in.
On May 10, 2023, Office of the then-President-elect confirmed SaharaReporters’ story.
A statement by Tunde Rahman from the Office of the then President-elect said Tinubu left for Europe on a working visit.
Meanwhile, the claim that the trip to Europe is a working visit is a cover-up as sources had told SaharaReporters that Tinubu was returning to France to see his doctors.
According to the statement issued, Tinubu will “use the opportunity of the trip to finetune the transition plans and programmes, and his policy options with some of his key aides without unnecessary pressures and distractions”.
In June 2023, barely a month after assuming office, Tinubu travelled to France for the New Global Financial Pact Summit, his first international trip as president. While the official reason for this trip was diplomatic, sources reported that Tinubu had received medical treatment during his stay.
Then, on January 24, 2024, the president embarked on what was described as a ‘private visit,’ but multiple sources confirmed that it was for medical care. This trip lasted 13 days, during which he reportedly sought treatment from his doctors in France.
On May 2, 2024, SaharaReporters reported that Tinubu had again landed in France.
The President's trip to France came a few days after his trip to Saudi Arabia officially ended following the conclusion of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh. Investigation by SaharaReporters showed that the President first went to London, England from Saudi Arabia, and then left the UK for France.
Therefore, Tinubu made a secretive visit to France after attending the World Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia. He briefly stopped in London before flying to Paris, with sources indicating that this trip was also for medical reasons.
In August 2024, the president returned to France again, this time on a ‘private visit,’ using the newly acquired presidential jet. Despite official statements indicating a short work stay, it was widely believed that this trip had a medical component as well.
By November 2024, Tinubu made a "state visit" to France at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, but this too coincided with unconfirmed reports of him receiving medical treatment.
More recently, in February 2025, Tinubu traveled to France for another "private visit," which was later revealed to be a medical trip. Just two months later, in April 2025, he departed once again for a two-week “working visit.”
A Total of 21 Days in France in Two Months
A review of Tinubu’s trips shows that his most recent journey will bring his total stay in France to 21 days within just over two months. This includes both working visits and trips that were officially described as ‘private visits.’
The frequent nature of these trips has sparked concerns among Nigerians about the transparency of the president’s health status and his ability to govern effectively. While the presidency maintains that these are routine official visits or personal trips, critics argue that the pattern of travel suggests an ongoing medical condition that requires further scrutiny.
With nine visits to France since March 2023—seven of which have been since Tinubu became president—many are questioning whether his medical needs are impacting his ability to fulfill his presidential duties and whether Nigerians are being kept in the dark about the full extent of his health issues.
A review of data from the Open Treasury Portal by SaharaReporters in February 2025 revealed that the Tinubu presidency spent N36 billion on international travel in 2024.
According to the State House Headquarters expenditure breakdown, N12.2 billion was allocated to "international travel and transport (training)," while N24.19 billion was spent on "international travel and transport (others)."
In total, the State House headquarters spent N36.3 billion on international travel during the 2024 fiscal year.
Additionally, local travel and transport costs were substantial, with N15.8 billion spent on "local travel and transport (training)" and N31.2 billion on "local travel and transport (others)."
Altogether, the combined total for both local and international travel amounted to N83 billion, according to data from the Open Treasury Portal.