President Bola Tinubu is set to leave Abuja on Saturday, May 2, for a three-nation trip to France, Kenya and Rwanda as millions of Nigerians continue to grapple with worsening economic hardship, rising inflation and insecurity across the country.
In a statement issued on Friday by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s first stop will be France before proceeding to Nairobi, Kenya, for the Africa-France Summit scheduled to begin next week.
The summit, co-chaired by Emmanuel Macron and William Ruto, will focus on energy transition, green industrialisation, digital transformation, climate action and the restructuring of global financing architecture.
The presidency said Tinubu’s participation in the summit, slated for May 11 to May 12, is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s strategic partnerships with African countries and France.
The summit, themed “Africa Forward: Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth,” is expected to bring together African leaders and French officials to discuss economic transformation, infrastructure development, youth empowerment, technological advancement and peace-building initiatives across the continent.
Following the Kenya summit, Tinubu will travel to Kigali, Rwanda, for the annual Africa CEO Forum scheduled for May 14 to 15.
According to the presidency, the forum, themed “Scale or Fail,” will gather over 2,000 business executives, investors and policymakers to discuss regional integration, industrial growth and cross-border investment opportunities in Africa.
The event is being organised in partnership with the International Finance Corporation.
The presidency added that Tinubu would use both summits to promote his administration’s economic reforms and present Nigeria as a destination for foreign investment.
“He will also hold high-level meetings with top-tier global and African business leaders,” the statement noted.
Tinubu is expected to travel with some ministers and senior government aides and will return to Nigeria after the Rwanda summit.
