Nigerian president visits Paris as France eyes renewal of ties

Nigerian president Bola Tinubu began a three-day state visit to France on November 28th in a bid to strengthen bilateral relations, according to Africa News and agencies.

The visit, the first of its kind for a Nigerian president in two decades, comes as France is seeking to renew ties with Africa. It is specifically targeting English-speaking countries after coups in Sahel countries lead to its influence diminishing in French-speaking ones.

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Niger’s ruling miliary junta recently banned French aid group Acted, a sign of France’s diminishing influence in the continent.

France wants to strengthen economic ties with Africa, as the visit sets the two presidents up for meetings at the “Franco-Nigerian Business Council” forum. The forum intends to boost economic cooperation and investments between France and Nigeria.

Tinubu travelled with some of the highest-ranking officials in his government and Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man.

Macron last visited Nigeria back in 2018 during Buhari’s presidential term. and France’s president spent six months in Abuja interning at the French embassy in 2002.

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The latest data shows that Nigeria is the leading trading partner for France in Africa followed by South Africa.

Africa News