Tinubu begins three-week annual leave, departs Abuja for Europe

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has begun a three-week annual leave, departing Abuja for Europe on Sunday as part of his vacation.

The development was disclosed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, in a statement issued on Sunday, August 30, 2026.

The President’s latest vacation comes as political activities intensify ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, with the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027.

Tinubu will spend three weeks in Europe before returning to Nigeria to resume official engagements and participate in the activities surrounding the forthcoming election.

What they are saying

The announcement of Tinubu’s departure came suddenly, as there had been no prior communication from the administration about a scheduled annual leave.

• “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja today for Europe to begin a three-week vacation as part of his annual leave,” Onanuga said in the statement.

The Presidency said Tinubu’s first stop would be London, United Kingdom, although it did not disclose the full itinerary for the three-week vacation or state whether he would visit other European countries during the trip.

The statement added that the President would return to Nigeria after his vacation to participate in activities ahead of the 2027 election.

• “President Tinubu is expected to return home after the working vacation to join the hectic campaign for the January 2027 election,” Onanuga said.

Get up to speed

This is Tinubu’s first major annual leave of 2026. His most recent annual leave was in 2025, when he departed Abuja on September 4 for a 10-working-day vacation in Europe, spending the period between France and the United Kingdom.

• That vacation was cut short, with the Presidency announcing on September 15, 2025, that Tinubu had concluded the working vacation ahead of schedule and would return to Abuja the following day.
• Tinubu had also spent part of the end-of-year holiday in Europe in December 2025 before travelling to Abu Dhabi in January 2026 to attend the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week summit.

Earlier in his presidency, Tinubu took a two-week annual leave in the United Kingdom in October 2024, during which the Presidency said he used the period to reflect on his administration’s economic reforms and hold consultations.

What you should know

Tinubu’s three-week vacation comes as Nigeria’s 2027 election campaign season is already underway.

• The Independent National Electoral Commission’s revised timetable schedules the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and State House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
• The presidential and National Assembly campaign period officially began on August 19, 2026, putting political parties and candidates into the active phase of the election cycle.

Tinubu is seeking a second term under the All Progressives Congress, with the election expected to feature competition from opposition politicians and parties.