President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to embark on a significant diplomatic tour, departing Abuja on Saturday, May 2, for official visits to France, Kenya, and Rwanda. This extensive trip, detailed by Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga on Friday, May 1, will see the President participate in high-level international engagements aimed at fostering strategic partnerships and advancing Nigeria's economic agenda.

The President's itinerary will commence in France for an initial official visit, the specific details of which were not further elaborated in the provided information. Following his engagements in France, President Tinubu will proceed to Nairobi, Kenya, to attend the Africa-France Summit. This crucial summit, co-chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron and Kenyan President William Ruto, is slated to take place from May 11 to May 12.

Under the theme “Africa Forward: Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth,” the Africa-France Summit is designed to bring together African and French leaders to deliberate on a wide array of critical issues affecting the continent. Key discussion areas will include energy transition, green industrialisation, digital transformation, and reforms to global financing systems, alongside pressing climate action initiatives. The agenda also encompasses broader themes such as economic transformation, infrastructure development, youth empowerment, technological advancement, and peace-building efforts across Africa. President Tinubu's participation will underscore Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to strengthening strategic partnerships with both African nations and the French Republic, providing a high-level platform for robust discussions.

Upon the conclusion of the summit in Kenya, President Tinubu will travel to Kigali, Rwanda, to attend the annual Africa CEO Forum, scheduled for May 14 to May 15. This year’s forum, themed “Scale or Fail,” is organised in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC). It is anticipated to be the largest gathering of African private sector leaders, investors, and policymakers, attracting more than 2,000 top executives and national leaders.

The Africa CEO Forum will focus on accelerating economic transformation through shared scale, regional integration, and increased cross-border investment. Attendees will debate strategies for building resilient and competitive industries across the continent. At both the Africa-France Summit and the Africa CEO Forum, President Tinubu is expected to deliver statements highlighting his administration’s ongoing economic reforms and efforts to reposition Nigeria as a prime destination for investment and growth. He will also seize these opportunities to hold high-level meetings with top-tier global and African business leaders on the sidelines of the summits.

President Tinubu will be accompanied on this multi-nation trip by several senior government officials, ministers, and senior aides. He is expected to return to Nigeria upon the conclusion of his engagements in Rwanda, marking the end of a pivotal diplomatic journey.