President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria is reportedly scheduled to depart for Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on October 29, 2026, for a six-day visit expected to end on November 3. The Presidency has yet to publicly confirm the itinerary, the full composition of the delegation, or the purpose of the reported visit. Information circulating about the planned trip indicates that his entourage will include five state governors, two ministers, the Chief of Staff to the President, the National Security Adviser (NSA), and several prominent businessmen.
The planned trip comes amid claims of heightened security concerns in the region, including alleged Houthi attacks targeting airports and military installations in Saudi Arabia. It also comes amid reports that the visit was intended to coincide with the Saudi investment summit popularly known as “Davos in the Desert”, which was reportedly cancelled last week over safety and security concerns. The circumstances surrounding the reported cancellation of the summit and its possible implications for Tinubu’s planned visit remain unclear.
There have also been unverified suggestions that the reported trip to Mecca may be a cover for a private medical visit. Tinubu has been surrounded by controversy regarding his health and overseas trips. In September 2022, while campaigning for the presidency, Tinubu travelled to London, sparking rumours that he was receiving medical treatment. The controversy intensified after Tinubu missed some political activities, including the signing of the National Peace Accord.
Tinubu’s subsequent foreign trips continued to attract similar scrutiny. In January 2024, the Presidency announced that he would travel to Paris for a private visit and return to Nigeria in the first week of February. The announcement provided limited details about his planned activities, prompting opposition figures and commentators to question whether the trip was connected to his health. In April and May 2024, Tinubu also spent additional time in France after official engagements in the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.
President Tinubu's late-2026 European trip drew significant criticism and public scrutiny regarding its duration, timing, and diplomatic optics. President Tinubu departed Abuja on August 30, 2026. The Presidency originally framed the trip as an annual "working vacation" that would last roughly three weeks, splitting time between London, United Kingdom, and Paris, France. On September 21, 2026, Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga announced that Tinubu had extended his vacation "by a few days".
Tinubu ultimately returned to Nigeria on September 29, 2026, after a 28-day stay abroad. The most controversial element of the trip centred around the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session in New York. While in Paris, Tinubu held a private meeting and dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace on September 18, 2026. Shortly after their meeting, President Macron left France to attend the UNGA in New York.
President Tinubu chose not to attend the UNGA personally, delegating Vice President Kashim Shettima to represent Nigeria and deliver the national statement instead. Consequently, while Macron was away at the UN in the United States, Tinubu remained stationed at his vacation destination in Paris. This specific overlap sparked intense domestic blowback from opposition parties and political commentators, who labelled the situation a "national disgrace" and a failure of "poor optics".
Key points
- President Tinubu's trip to Mecca has raised concerns about his health and the timing of the visit amid heightened security concerns in the region.
- The Presidency has consistently rejected claims that the President’s overseas trips were secretly arranged for medical treatment.
- Tinubu's trip has sparked controversy and public scrutiny, with some questioning the purpose and composition of the delegation.
