President Bola Tinubu has described his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron as highly productive, highlighting renewed efforts to strengthen cooperation between Nigeria and France in areas of mutual interest.
The Nigerian leader made this known in a post on his official X handle on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, following a private working lunch with President Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris.
“Had a productive lunch with President Emmanuel Macron today at the Élysée Palace,” Tinubu wrote. “We reviewed key areas of cooperation between Nigeria and France and agreed to deepen our partnership for mutual prosperity and global stability.”
The meeting comes amid Tinubu’s 10-day working vacation in Europe, which began on September 4, and underscores his continued engagement in global diplomacy, even while on official leave.
According to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Tinubu’s vacation will be split between France and the United Kingdom, after which he will return to Nigeria.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja today, September 4, to commence a working vacation in Europe, as part of his 2025 annual leave. The vacation will last 10 working days,” Onanuga said in a statement.
President Tinubu’s current visit to France marks his second official trip to the country in six months, following a working visit in April 2025.
The visit also comes shortly after his return from an extensive two-week international tour to Japan and Brazil. During the trip, Tinubu:
- Attended the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, Japan, from August 20–22
- Held bilateral meetings with Japanese government officials and top corporate executives investing in Nigeria
- Continued to Brazil on a state visit at the invitation of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, with whom he discussed trade, energy, and strategic partnerships
Before reaching Japan, the president made a stopover in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
