The Federal Government has tightened controls on official foreign travel by ministers, heads of ministries, departments and agencies and other appointees, requiring prior approval from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The directive takes immediate effect and is aimed at strengthening accountability, fiscal discipline and coordination of official engagements abroad.
The directive was contained in a circular signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume. It requires the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make evidence of valid OSGF approval a mandatory part of processing official Notes Verbales, diplomatic facilitation and applications for official, diplomatic and service visas for government appointees.
Akume said the government had observed continued cases of officials embarking on foreign trips without the required clearance despite several previous circulars regulating official travel. He said the existing rules were intended to ensure proper coordination of government business and prudent management of public resources, but instances of non-compliance had persisted.
Under the new measures, foreign missions and embassies accredited to Nigeria are to be formally informed of the requirement and advised to request evidence of OSGF approval where applicable before processing travel documents for Nigerian officials. The move will provide foreign missions with an additional mechanism for verifying whether officials travelling on government business have the necessary authorisation.
The Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation has also been directed to check compliance during audit exercises. Government appointees who undertake foreign trips at public expense will be required to produce evidence of the requisite approval, while expenditure incurred on unauthorised trips will be reported in line with applicable financial regulations and audit procedures.
Accounting officers, permanent secretaries, chief executive officers and heads of government agencies have equally been directed not to process expenditure relating to official foreign travel unless the required OSGF approval has first been obtained. The directive covers a wide range of officials and institutions, including ministers, security chiefs, regulatory bodies, anti-corruption agencies, electoral institutions and government-owned companies.
The new rules come amid heightened scrutiny over individuals and organisations claiming to represent the Federal Government, including the controversy surrounding the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and its self-styled Director-General, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi. Although the circular does not specifically mention the purported council or Adeyemi, the government said the broader approval system would ensure that officials travelling abroad in an official capacity have proper authorisation and that public funds used for such engagements are subject to accountability.
