President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and French President Emmanuel Macron have pledged to further develop the bilateral relationship between Nigeria and France, after a private dinner in Paris.
The leaders met on Thursday, September 17 at the Élysée Palace, during which they discussed the strategic partnership between the two countries and the need to intensify cooperation in key areas of common interest.
The information about the content of the bilateral talks was not disclosed, but Nigerians officials noted that Macron and Tinubu used the meeting to reaffirm the friendship between their countries.
Tinubu, Macron Reaffirm Bilateral Partnership
The special adviser gave no details on what the two leaders discussed during the dinner, but he noted that the meeting is part of the efforts to deepen the relationship between Nigeria and France.
The Nigerian president also spoke of the importance of the partnership, saying the conversation with Macron was an occasion to reaffirm the friendship between the two countries and “the desire to consolidate the partnership.”
For Nigeria, France has long been a key European partner, with close ties in several areas, including trade, investment, energy, infrastructure, security, innovation and the creative economy.
In this context, the meeting between the two presidents is significant, coming at a time when Nigeria is looking to diversify its partnerships and attract increased investment.
Economic Cooperation Remains Key
While no economic cooperation was publicly announced following the private talks, economic ties between France and Nigeria remain important.
France maintains economic interests in Nigeria, and Nigerian businesses and organizations operate in various sectors of the French economy.
Therefore, the expansion of the partnership in such areas may generate new impulses for mutual investments, joint technological projects and cooperation between private companies, especially in the context of Nigeria’s current industrialization drive.
The two countries also share interests in several security areas, and they currently have common concerns about instability in their respective regions.
A Broader International Partnership
The meeting also fits into the broader context of Nigeria’s growing role in international politics – and the country’s interest in expanding its economic and political ties with key partners around the globe.
Tinubu has made expanding Nigeria’s partnerships a priority, and the new government has pursued an active policy of economic and political cooperation with several countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
For France, Nigeria is one of the largest economies in Africa. Thus, the meeting between Macron and Tinubu comes at a time when the two countries are seeking to expand their ties in several areas of common interest.
Despite the lack of public details on the dinner, it is clear that both leaders want to consolidate the partnership between their countries, which has a long history of economic ties and other forms of cooperation.
