President Buhari Departs For South Africa (Photos)

President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria has departed Abuja for South Africa ahead of the China-Africa Corporation Forum in Johannesburg on December 3, Thursday.
During the forum Buhari will have a meeting with Chinese president, Xi Jinping, on how to re-start stalled rail projects under new terms that would see China providing nearly all the financing required.

President Buhari’s team has now enlarged to 84 people, comprising at least four ministers and 80 aides, CEOs and MDA reps. This is an unusually large travel party for the Nigeria leader.

He is accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema; Minister of Transportation, Chubuike Amaechi; and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah.

They are expected back to Nigeria on Saturday December 5th.

President Buhari has just two days ago returned from his long trip to Malta and France for international meetings and conferences.

The leader of the nation has been facing criticism over his frequent trips abroad. A joke is even being circulated among Nigerians which reads: “Breaking news: President Buhari to visit Nigeria on Wednesday December 2. No indication of how long he will stay.”

President Buhari has so far visited Germany, South Africa, the USA, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Benin, Ghana, South Africa, India, Iran and Malta, and France.

In the same vein, the president’s trips cost a lot for Nigeria. A normal two-day long Buhari trip reportedly rates between $350K and $500K.