Tinubu cuts ministers' convoys to 3, security to 5 officers

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has issued a directive limiting the number of vehicles and security personnel allocated to government ministers, heads of departments, and agencies.

According to a statement by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, ministers and heads of departments will now be restricted to a maximum of three vehicles for their official movements. This cost-cutting measure also mandates that no additional vehicles will be allocated to these officials.

“No additional vehicles will be assigned to them for movement,” the statement read.

As part of broader efforts to reduce state expenses, the President further instructed that each minister or agency head will only have five security personnel, comprising four police officers and one officer from the Department of State Services (DSS).

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“No additional security personnel will be assigned,” Onanuga revealed.

This announcement builds on previous efforts by the administration to downsize official entourages for both domestic and international travel.

Earlier in the year, Tinubu had mandated a 60% reduction in the number of government officials traveling on state business, affecting even the offices of the President and Vice President. As presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale remarked at the time: “All state entourages must be drastically reduced. This is not a request. It is a directive. The office of the President and other top officials will be affected.”

These measures reflect the president’s intention to manage Nigeria’s public finances more efficiently while responding to criticisms of government spending, especially on high-profile convoys and extensive delegations during public events and international trips.

The President has further instructed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to engage with military, paramilitary, and other security agencies to assess possible reductions in vehicle and personnel deployment across various government bodies.