President Bola Tinubu has issued new directives limiting ministers, ministers of state, and heads of federal agencies to three-vehicle convoys and capping their security personnel at five.
The security team will consist of four police officers and one Department of State Services (DSS) officer, with no additional personnel permitted.
The directive is part of broader efforts to reduce the cost of governance.
The disclosure was contained in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), on Thursday.
“President Bola Tinubu has restricted Ministers, Ministers of State, and Heads of Agencies of the Federal Government to a maximum of three vehicles in their official convoys. No additional vehicles will be assigned to them for movement,” the statement read in part.
It also added, “In the directive issued today, President Tinubu also ordered all ministers, ministers of state, and heads of agencies to have at most five security personnel attached to them.”
The statement further noted that President Tinubu directed the National Security Adviser to coordinate with military, paramilitary, and security agencies to adjust their vehicle and personnel deployments accordingly. It emphasized the need for immediate compliance, highlighting the urgency of the reforms.
What you should know
The directive to limit the convoys and security details of ministers, ministers of state, and heads of federal agencies builds on President Tinubu’s earlier measures to cut government expenses.
- In January 2024, the President announced a 60% reduction in expenditure on all international and local travel across the federal government, emphasizing the need to curtail unnecessary spending.
- Nairametrics previously reported that the Presidency clarified the implementation of these cost-saving measures, which apply to the offices of the President, Vice President, and First Lady, along with federal ministries and agencies.
- The directive mandated that ministers travel with no more than four staff members, while heads of federal agencies were restricted to a maximum of two staff on official trips abroad.
- For international travel, the President’s entourage was limited to 20 people, while the Vice President and First Lady were each restricted to five.
- For local trips, the President could travel with up to 25 officials, the Vice President with 15, and the First Lady with 10.
These earlier reforms align with the President’s broader effort to instil fiscal discipline and streamline government operations.
The latest directive limiting convoys and security details reflects the administration’s continued focus on promoting efficiency and cutting waste in public spending.
