Pres. Tinubu off to France again on 2-week working visit

President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja for Paris, France, on Wednesday, on a short working visit, according to Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.

During the visit, the President will review the progress of ongoing reforms and engage in strategic planning ahead of his administration’s second anniversary.

He will also seize the opportunity to appraise his administration’s midterm performance and assessing key milestones.

A government statement said:”The President’s commitment to economic development is evident in the recent increase in net foreign exchange reserves to $23.11 billion, a significant improvement from $3.99 billion in 2023.

“This achievement is a testament to the administration’s fiscal reforms, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria.”

While in Paris, President Tinubu will remain engaged with his team and continue to oversee governance activities,” the statement said.

Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria in a fortnight.

Persecondnews recalls that this visit follows his historic state visit to France in November, which marked a significant milestone in Nigeria-France relations.

During the November visit, President Tinubu and French President Emmanuel Macron deepened economic and diplomatic ties, focusing on areas such as agriculture, security, education, and energy transition.

The visit also saw the signing of a €300m agreement to support critical sectors and sustain long-term agriculture and food security.

Both President’s also attended a session of the France-Nigeria Business Council, a platform for private-sector collaboration in economic development.

The agreements was signed during an economic forum at the Palais des Élysée, with business leaders, industry captains, state governors, and top officials from both countries in attendance.

During the event, United Bank for Africa Group Chairman, Mr. Tony Elumelu, and French Minister of Economy, Finance, and Industry, Mr. Antoine Armand, signed an agreement to enable UBA to begin operations in Paris.

Similarly, Zenith Bank launched its services in France.

Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Mr Wale Edun, and Mr Armand signed a Letter of Intent reaffirming commitments to investments in critical sectors, including healthcare, transportation, agriculture, renewable energy, and human capital development.

The financial and technical assistance package is worth over €300m and will be distributed across all of Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.

The French leader, Macron, had sought to renew France’s relationship with Africa since his 2017 election.