Nigeria and France are set to deepen their strategic ties as French President Emmanuel Macron prepares for a State visit to Nigeria this fall.
France’s Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Marc Fonbaustier, announced the visit during France’s National Day celebration in Abuja, describing it as an opportunity to review existing cooperation and chart new areas of partnership.
The visit will come two years after President Bola Tinubu’s State visit to Paris.
“The President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, will travel to Nigeria for another State visit this fall”, Fonbaustier said, adding that both leaders would assess progress in their bilateral roadmap.
The ambassador described the relationship between both countries as a partnership of equals, with shared interests in economic growth, job creation, food security and environmental protection.
He highlighted recent business collaborations, including Canal+’s acquisition of MultiChoice, as evidence of growing economic ties. Fonbaustier also said Nigeria and France were working together on security and counter-terrorism efforts, as well as agricultural projects aimed at improving food security across Nigeria and the ECOWAS region.
He added that a strong Nigeria remains essential to regional stability and disclosed that Macron’s connection with Africa was partly shaped by his six-month stay in Nigeria as a student 24 years ago.
