4
President Bola Tinubu is in France on the first leg of his three-nation tour, aimed at advancing Nigeria’s economic diplomacy and strengthening strategic international partnerships.
The President departed Abuja at about 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, accompanied to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, alongside other top government officials.
The visit marks the begining of engagements across France, Kenya, and Rwanda, where the Nigerian president is expected to champion his administration’s reform agenda on global platforms.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, stated that the tour underscores Nigeria’s commitment to deepening cooperation with key international partners, particularly the French Republic and African nations, in areas of economic growth, innovation, and investment.
From France, President Tinubu will proceed to Nairobi for the Africa-France Summit scheduled for May 11 to 12, co-chaired by Emmanuel Macron and William Ruto.
The summit, themed “Africa Forward: Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth,” will focus on areas like energy transition, green industrialisation, digital transformation, global financing reforms, and climate action.
The summit will bring together African and French leaders to deliberate on key development priorities such as infrastructure, youth empowerment, peace-building, and economic transformation, providing a platform for enhanced bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
Thereafter, the President will head to Kigali, Rwanda, to participate in the Africa CEO Forum from May 14 to 15.
 The forum, organised in partnership with the International Finance Corporation, is expected to attract over 2,000 business leaders, investors, and policymakers to explore strategies for economic transformation, regional integration, and cross-border investment under the theme “Scale or Fail.”
At both summits, President Tinubu is expected to deliver keynote statements highlighting his administration’s reforms and positioning Nigeria as a prime destination for investment and sustainable growth, while also holding high-level meetings with global and African business leaders.
