President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Saturday for a three-nation diplomatic and economic tour covering France, Kenya, and Rwanda, in a move aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s global partnerships and advancing its investment agenda.
According to the itinerary, the president will make his first stop in France before proceeding to Nairobi, where he is scheduled to participate in the high-level Africa-France Summit. The summit, co-chaired by Emmanuel Macron and William Ruto, will hold from May 11 to May 12 and is expected to focus on key issues including energy transition, green industrialisation, digital transformation, reform of the global financial architecture, and climate action.
The gathering, themed “Africa Forward: Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth,” will bring together African leaders and their French counterparts to deliberate on pressing development priorities such as economic transformation, infrastructure, youth empowerment, technological advancement, and peace-building initiatives. Tinubu’s participation is expected to reinforce Nigeria’s commitment to deeper cooperation with both African nations and France on strategic economic and environmental goals.
Following the Nairobi summit, the president will travel to Kigali to attend the Africa CEO Forum scheduled for May 14 to 15. The annual event, organised in partnership with the International Finance Corporation, is regarded as one of the continent’s largest private sector gatherings, attracting over 2,000 business leaders, investors, and policymakers.
This year’s forum, themed “Scale or Fail,” will focus on accelerating Africa’s economic transformation through regional integration, expanded cross-border investments, and the development of competitive industries. The discussions are expected to centre on how African economies can achieve scale and resilience in an increasingly complex global market.
At both summits, President Tinubu is expected to present Nigeria’s ongoing economic reforms and outline opportunities for investment, while also holding bilateral meetings with global and African business leaders to strengthen trade and investment ties.
The president will be accompanied on the trip by senior government officials, including ministers and key aides, and is expected to return to Nigeria after concluding his engagements in Rwanda.
