President Bola Ahmed Tinubu left Lagos on Sunday for Europe, marking the start of what the presidency describes as the continuation of his end-of-year break just days after the Christmas period. The exact destination in Europe has not been officially disclosed by the presidential team, a detail that has drawn attention as he begins this latest leg of travel.
According to a statement released by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, President Tinubu’s trip to Europe is part of his year-end schedule and is planned ahead of an official visit to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
The presidency said that from Europe, President Tinubu will proceed to participate in the 2026 edition of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit, an annual global forum where leaders from government, business, and civil society gather to advance strategies for sustainable development. Hosted early in January, this summit is themed The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go and aims to link ambition with action across innovation, finance, and people.
The invitation to attend the summit came from His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, underscoring the diplomatic ties between Nigeria and the UAE.
While the presidency has kept his European stop confidential, critics have questioned the timing of the trip given ongoing security concerns in parts of Nigeria and expectations among some that the president should be present at home during such moments. Several political voices have voiced their unease that national leadership is abroad as events unfold domestically.
The presidential statement concluded that President Tinubu will return to Nigeria after the summit in Abu Dhabi to resume official duties.
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