By: Tunji Okunlola
President Bola Tinubu departed Abuja on Saturday for a multi-nation trip that will take him to France, Kenya and Rwanda over the coming days, with two major continental summits anchoring the itinerary.
His first stop is France, before he heads to Nairobi to attend the Africa-France Summit, scheduled from May 11th to 12th. The summit is co-chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron and Kenyan President William Ruto, and will bring together African and French leaders to deliberate on energy transition, green industrialisation, digital transformation, climate action and the restructuring of global financing frameworks. This year’s theme — “Africa Forward: Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth” — signals a focus on translating political commitments into economic outcomes.
Tinubu’s attendance is intended to reinforce Nigeria’s position within the broader Africa-France partnership, with his administration expected to use the platform to highlight ongoing domestic reforms aimed at attracting investment.
From Nairobi, the President will travel to Kigali for the Africa CEO Forum, running from May 14th to 15th. Held in partnership with the International Finance Corporation, the forum is billed as the largest gathering of African private sector leaders, investors and policymakers this year, with more than 2,000 top executives and heads of state expected to attend. The theme — “Scale or Fail” — frames the central debate around regional integration, cross-border investment and building industries capable of competing at continental scale.
At both summits, Tinubu is expected to deliver addresses centred on Nigeria’s reform agenda and its potential as an investment destination, as well as hold bilateral meetings with senior business and political figures.
The President is travelling with a delegation of ministers and senior aides and is expected to return to Nigeria at the conclusion of the Rwanda summit.
Source: Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), May 1, 2026
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