The Federal Government has tightened rules governing official foreign trips by ministers, permanent secretaries, heads of ministries, departments and agencies, and other government appointees.
Under a new directive issued by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, all official foreign trips by Federal Government appointees must receive prior approval from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
The directive takes immediate effect, with the government warning that public funds spent on unauthorised foreign trips will be subject to scrutiny.
The development was contained in an OSGF circular titled “Non-Compliance by Government Appointees with the Requirement for OSGF Approval for Official Foreign Trips and the Mandatory Inclusion of OSGF Approval in the Processing of Official Visas.”
The government said the measure followed continued cases of officials travelling abroad on official assignments without obtaining the required clearance.
According to the circular, the existing travel rules are intended to promote accountability, fiscal discipline and effective coordination of government business.
Foreign missions to demand approval
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been directed to make evidence of valid OSGF approval a mandatory requirement when processing official travel documents for government appointees.
This includes requests for official Notes Verbales, diplomatic facilitation and applications for official, diplomatic or service visas.
The ministry is also expected to communicate the requirement to foreign missions and embassies accredited to Nigeria.
The government said the measure would provide foreign missions with an additional means of verifying whether Nigerian officials travelling on government business had received the necessary authorisation.
Audit checks and spending restrictions
The Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation has also been directed to check compliance during audit exercises.
Government appointees who undertake official foreign trips at public expense will be required to produce evidence of the requisite OSGF approval.
The circular further warned that expenditure on foreign travel undertaken without the required approval would be reported in line with existing financial regulations and audit procedures.
Accounting officers, permanent secretaries, chief executive officers and heads of Federal Government agencies have consequently been instructed not to process expenditure relating to official foreign trips unless the required approval has been obtained.
Directive follows agency controversy
The new rules come amid heightened scrutiny of individuals and organisations claiming to represent the Federal Government, following controversy surrounding the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and its self-styled Director-General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi.
The controversy has raised questions about how individuals claiming official government status could undertake engagements, including foreign activities, without clear evidence of authorisation.
However, the latest OSGF directive does not specifically target Adeyemi or the purported council. Instead, it applies broadly to Federal Government appointees.
The circular referenced several previous directives governing official foreign travel, including guidelines issued in 2023, 2018, 2017, 2015 and 2012.
Despite those measures, the SGF said cases of non-compliance had continued.
The latest directive therefore strengthens the approval process by linking government travel authorisation to visa processing, auditing and the release of public funds.
The directive was issued to a wide range of senior officials, including ministers, security chiefs, heads of regulatory and anti-corruption agencies, electoral bodies, financial institutions, permanent secretaries, government-owned companies and other Federal Government institutions.
