The Federal Government has moved to enforce stricter compliance on foreign travel by ministers, security chiefs, heads of agencies and other public office holders, barring them from embarking on official trips abroad without prior approval from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, disclosed this in a circular addressed to top government officials and heads of major federal institutions, warning that the directive takes immediate effect.
The circular, titled “Non-Compliance by Government Appointees with the Requirement for OSGF Approval for Official Foreign Trips and the Mandatory Inclusion of OSGF Approval in the Processing of Official Visas,” noted that some appointees have continued to travel abroad on official assignments without securing the required clearance, despite existing government regulations.
Akume also directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make proof of OSGF approval a mandatory requirement before processing visas, notes verbales and other travel documentation for government appointees. Foreign missions and embassies in Nigeria are to be formally notified of this requirement, with applications for official, diplomatic or service visas expected to be accompanied by valid OSGF clearance.
The circular referenced a string of previous directives dating back to 2012 aimed at promoting accountability, cost control and proper coordination of government business, including guidelines issued in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2023. It stated that despite these repeated warnings, non-compliance has persisted among government appointees.
To strengthen enforcement, the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation has been assigned the responsibility of verifying compliance during audit exercises, with appointees required to produce evidence of OSGF approval for any foreign trip undertaken at public expense.
The circular further placed responsibility on accounting officers, permanent secretaries and heads of agencies to ensure that no public funds are released for foreign travel unless the appointee has obtained the requisite OSGF approval beforehand.
The directive, which supersedes any inconsistent administrative practice, was circulated to a broad list of top officials, including the Chief of Staff to the President, service chiefs, heads of anti-graft agencies, revenue and electoral bodies, as well as heads of parastatals and government-owned companies across the country.
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