President Bola Tinubu departed Abuja on Saturday for a high-stakes diplomatic swing through France, Kenya, and Rwanda, as Nigeria looks to deepen ties with global partners and attract fresh investment to Africa’s largest economy.
The trip was announced by Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga ahead of the departure.
Tinubu’s first stop is France, before heading to Nairobi, Kenya, for the Africa-France Summit slated for May 11 to 12. The summit, jointly chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron and Kenyan President William Ruto, will tackle pressing continental issues including energy transition, green industrialisation, digital transformation, climate action, and reforms to international financing systems.
Running under the banner “Africa Forward: Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth,” the forum will draw African heads of state and French officials to hash out strategies on economic transformation, infrastructure, youth empowerment, and peace-building — with Nigeria’s participation expected to signal its commitment to forging stronger strategic alliances across the continent and beyond.
From Nairobi, Tinubu flies to Kigali, Rwanda, for the Africa CEO Forum on May 14 to 15. Themed “Scale or Fail,” the event — organised in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) — is expected to convene more than 2,000 business leaders, investors, and policymakers to map out pathways for faster African economic growth through regional integration and cross-border investment.
At both forums, Tinubu is expected to pitch Nigeria as a top investment destination and hold bilateral meetings with key global and African business figures. He will be accompanied by select ministers and senior aides, with a return to Abuja expected after the Rwanda leg of the tour.
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