BARRING any last-minute change, President Bola Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria on Tuesday, September 29, ending a four-week working vacation in Europe.
Upon his return, the President is scheduled to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary in Lagos before returning to Abuja next weekend.
He was earlier expected to return to Abuja at the weekend before the change of schedule.
Presidency sources revealed on Sunday that Tinubu would arrive through Lagos, where he is expected to be received at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The President is expected to remain in Lagos through Thursday, October 1, when he will mark the Independence anniversary and deliver a national broadcast.
The Federal Government has already announced that the President’s Independence Day broadcast will form part of the activities for the 66th anniversary, with other events including a public lecture scheduled for September 30.
Tinubu’s decision to spend the anniversary period in Lagos would make it the second consecutive year that he would observe Nigeria’s Independence Day in the commercial capital.
Last year, the President also marked the anniversary in Lagos amid heightened security concerns following the emergence of allegations of a planned military coup.
The Federal Government subsequently cancelled the Independence Day parade scheduled for October 1, 2025.
Military officers and civilian collaborators linked to the alleged plot to overthrow the government are facing trial while still in detention.
The President is expected to remain in Lagos for a few days after the anniversary to attend to official engagements before returning to Abuja next weekend.
Tinubu’s return marks the end of an extended working vacation that began on August 30, when he departed Abuja for London.
The Presidency had initially announced a three-week annual leave, with London designated as his first stop.
After spending about a week in London, the President travelled to Paris, France, where he held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and businessman Vincent Bolloré, whose business interests include Canal+, MultiChoice and Universal Music Group.
On September 21, the Presidency announced that Tinubu would extend his stay by a few days, saying he would return to Nigeria at the weekend. The latest itinerary, however, puts his return on Tuesday, September 29.
Despite his absence from the country, the President has continued to receive briefings and issue directives on matters of national importance.
Among the major developments during his absence was his directive for a comprehensive and transparent investigation into the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners held in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna, Niger State.
The Federal Government subsequently constituted a 10-member independent investigative committee, while several NSCDC officers were suspended pending the outcome of the inquiry. The cause and circumstances of the deaths remain subject to investigation.
During the President’s absence, Vice President Kashim Shettima represented him at several official engagements, including Nigeria’s participation in the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Shettima departed Abuja on September 20 to lead Nigeria’s delegation to the UNGA, where he delivered Nigeria’s national statement on behalf of the President.
With the Vice President also out of the country, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, has continued to represent the President at selected official functions, in line with the Presidency’s earlier arrangements.
The President’s return also comes against the backdrop of preparations for the 2027 general elections. The Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, has in recent weeks led party leaders in consultations with traditional and religious leaders in different parts of the country as part of the party’s mobilisation ahead of the elections.
With Tinubu expected back in Lagos on Tuesday, attention will now shift to his Independence Day address, his post-vacation engagements and the resumption of presidential activities from Abuja next weekend.
