Nigeria aims to strengthen economic ties with France as Tinubu visits Paris.

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Published 7:20 PM ET, Saturday November 30, 2024

President Bola Tinubu landed in France on Thursday for a two-day state visit, with both countries seeking to strengthen economic and diplomatic ties.

It is a Nigerian leader’s first official state visit to Paris in more than 20 years.

French President Emmanuel Macron greeted his counterpart warmly in Nigerian Pidgin English, emphasizing the two leaders’ cultural similarities.

“Na big honor for France, dear President Bola Tinubu @officialABAT, to welcome you for dis State visit as one big partner and friend of today and tomorrow. E still dey sweet me well well as I remember say I be young intern for French Embassy for Nigeria that time.” Macron wrote posted on X.

The two leaders participated in the “Franco-Nigerian Business Council” forum at the Elysee Palace on Thursday.

“We’ve been working on stabilizing the security system in Nigeria, and we are getting closer and closer. We are doing better now in the area of security. I assure all the investors here that Nigeria is open for business, and I thank you for your collaboration,” Tinubu said.

According to Macron;

“To us, economic partnerships place France as a partner in the long run to work, with you, on your country’s food safety, the extraction and value maximization of the critical ore your country has, and as a partner, with our industries, in your defense and security strategy—that’s three priorities we want to commit to”.