The Federal Government has issued a stern warning to ministers, service chiefs, agency heads and other top appointees who continue to embark on official foreign trips without clearance from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,
The OSGF has now issued a new enforcement measures that will see offenders flagged in audit reports and denied diplomatic travel facilitation. All Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Accounting Officers and Heads of MDAs have been directed to ensure strict compliance.”
In a circular dated 13 August 2026 (Ref. No. PRS59648/S.13/TI/335) signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, the Presidency expressed “concern” that some Federal Government appointees have persistently ignored extant travel regulations — a practice the government says undermines accountability, fiscal discipline and the prudent management of public resources.
The circular, was transmitted to virtually the entire top echelon of government, including all heads of parastatals, agencies and government-owned companies.
Under the directive — which the SGF says is consistent with the Public Service Rules, 2021 Edition and the Financial Regulations (Revised Edition, January 2009) — all official foreign trips by Federal Government appointees “shall continue to require prior approval from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation before such trips are undertaken, except where otherwise expressly provided by law or by specific Presidential directive.”
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The circular notes that the rule is not new. It cites at least five earlier circulars stretching back more than a decade, including the 20 November 2012 cost-cutting directive on Cabinet travel, the 8 March 2018 circular on “Observed Indifferent Adherence to Extant Regulations,” and the most recent Guidelines for Official Travels issued on 18 September 2023.
The Penalties for Breach
The Presidency has deployed a two-pronged administrative squeeze designed to make rule-breaking practically impossible by blocking visa and diplomatic facilitation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been directed to make evidence of a valid OSGF approval a mandatory requirement in the processing of Notes Verbales, diplomatic facilitation and any application relating to official foreign travel.
The Ministry is directed to formally notify all Foreign Missions and Embassies accredited to Nigeria that applications for Official, Diplomatic or Service Visas by Government Appointees must be accompanied by duly issued OSGF travel approval. In effect, an appointee who travels without clearance can be turned away at the visa desk.
The Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation has been directed to demand evidence of OSGF approval from every appointee who travelled abroad at public expense during audit exercises.
The circular states unambiguously: “Any expenditure incurred in respect of official foreign travel undertaken without the required approval shall be reported appropriately in accordance with extant Financial Regulations and applicable audit procedures.”
Accounting Officers, Permanent Secretaries, Chief Executive Officers and Heads of Federal Government Agencies have been directed to ensure that no expenditure relating to official foreign travel by Government Appointees is processed unless the requisite OSGF approval has first been obtained — effectively cutting off funding at source.
When infractions are reported under the financial regulations, government will recover disallowed expenditure from the individual officer, as well as disciplinary and, potentially, sanctions by anti-graft agencies where public funds are found to have been irregularly spent.
The circular emphasised that the directive “takes immediate effect and supersedes any administrative practice inconsistent with its provisions, without prejudice to existing extant regulations governing official foreign travel.”
All Honourable Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Accounting Officers and Heads of MDAs have been “hereby directed to ensure strict compliance.”
Crediblenewsng.com
