French President Emmanuel Macron has postponed his planned state visit to Nigeria, which was scheduled for 28 and 29 October, amid unrest in France and broader diplomatic considerations.
The decision was confirmed by a French presidential source on Friday, 23 October, according to reports by international and Nigerian media outlets. The visit to Nigeria and Senegal has been deferred until a later date, although no new date has been announced. .
The development comes amid protests and riots in France, which have intensified pressure on Macron’s administration. However, the French presidential source did not explicitly identify the unrest as the reason for postponing the West African tour, describing the planned trip as part of a diplomatic and cooperation agenda.
The postponement follows President Macron’s recent visit to the Gulf region, where discussions focused on securing energy supplies amid wider international uncertainty.
Tinubu’s visit to France
Macron’s planned visit was expected to build on diplomatic and economic agreements reached during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s three-day state visit to France in November 2024.
During the visit, both leaders discussed cooperation in finance, energy transition, solid minerals, trade, investment and communications, with the aim of strengthening political, economic and cultural relations between the two countries. .
The proposed trip was also expected to provide an opportunity for both governments to review their strategic partnership and explore further areas of cooperation, particularly in business and investment.
Macron last visited Nigeria as French president in July 2018, when he met former President Muhammadu Buhari and visited the New Afrika Shrine in Lagos.
No new date announced
The postponement leaves uncertainty over when the French president will undertake the planned visit. The trip had been expected to strengthen bilateral relations and create further opportunities for engagement between Nigerian and French businesses.
Separately, Nigerian sources cited by PREMIUM TIMES reported that concerns surrounding Nigeria’s forthcoming presidential election and a recently confirmed Ebola case also featured in discussions about the visit. However, these factors have not been independently confirmed as official reasons for the postponement. .
Neither a revised travel schedule nor a new date for the visit had been announced in the reports available on Friday.
The postponement marks a delay in a high-profile diplomatic engagement between two countries whose relationship spans trade, investment, security and broader regional cooperation.
