Zamfara, Yobe, Kogi Lead As 11 Nigerian States Spend N10.6Billion On Foreign Trips In Six Months
30th July, 2026 | News
11 Nigerian States Spend ₦10.6 Billion on Foreign Trips in Six Months Amid Economic Challenges
An analysis of state budget performance reports has revealed that 11 Nigerian states spent a combined ₦10.598 billion on international travel between January and June 2026, despite ongoing economic challenges, rising inflation, and increasing pressure to invest in critical sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, and infrastructure.
According to the figures, Zamfara State recorded the highest expenditure, spending ₦2.2 billion on overseas trips—about 20.8% of the total spending by the states reviewed. Yobe State followed with ₦1.9 billion, while Kogi State ranked third after spending ₦1.4 billion.
Kwara State spent ₦1.3 billion, while Ekiti State rounded out the top five with ₦1 billion in international travel expenses.
Other states included in the review were Ebonyi (₦702.2 million), Borno (₦650.4 million), Nasarawa (₦577 million), Adamawa (₦421.2 million), Cross River (₦278 million), and Ondo, which recorded the lowest expenditure at ₦169.3 million.
The analysis showed that Zamfara, Yobe, and Kogi alone accounted for ₦5.5 billion, representing nearly 52% of the total foreign travel spending. When Kwara and Ekiti are added, the top five states accounted for ₦7.8 billion, or almost 74% of the total expenditure.
The report highlighted a significant gap between the highest and lowest spenders, with Zamfara spending more than ₦2 billion above Ondo. The average expenditure among the 11 states stood at approximately ₦963.5 million, while the median spending was ₦702.2 million, recorded by Ebonyi State.
Although state governments often defend foreign trips as necessary for attracting investment, strengthening international partnerships, securing donor support, and facilitating training, the scale of the expenditure is expected to attract public scrutiny at a time when many states continue to depend heavily on federal allocations and borrowing while citizens grapple with rising living costs and declining public services.
The findings also renewed concerns about spending priorities. In a previous review, Kogi State was reported to have spent ₦2.9 billion on refreshments and meals during the same six-month period while releasing no funds for its ₦1 billion flood preparedness programme, despite the state’s recurring vulnerability to flooding.
Public finance experts have repeatedly argued that official foreign trips should produce measurable benefits—such as attracting investment, improving governance, or facilitating technology transfer—rather than becoming a recurring administrative expense with limited public impact.