President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has rescheduled the commencement of his planned three-nation trip, shifting his departure date from Saturday to Sunday.
The adjustment marks a change from an earlier announcement that the President would leave Abuja on May 2 for official visits to France, Kenya and Rwanda.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, had disclosed the initial itinerary in a statement issued in Abuja, noting that the trip is part of efforts to deepen Nigeria’s diplomatic and economic engagements.
According to the updated plan, President Tinubu’s first stop will be in France. He will thereafter proceed to Nairobi, Kenya, to participate in the Africa-France Summit scheduled to begin next week.
The summit, co-chaired by Emmanuel Macron and William Ruto, is expected to focus on key issues including energy transition, green industrialisation, digital transformation, reforms in global financing systems, and climate action.
Onanuga said the President’s participation in the summit, billed for May 11 to May 12, reflects Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening strategic partnerships with African countries and France.
With the theme, “Africa Forward: Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth,” the forum will bring together African leaders and their French counterparts to deliberate on pressing issues such as economic transformation, infrastructure development, youth empowerment, technological advancement, climate resilience, and peace-building.
“At the end of the Kenyan summit, President Tinubu will depart for Kigali, Rwanda, to attend the annual Africa CEO Forum, taking place between May 14 and 15,” the statement added.
The Africa CEO Forum, themed “Scale or Fail,” is expected to attract over 2,000 business leaders, investors and policymakers. Organised in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the event will focus on strategies to accelerate economic transformation through regional integration and increased cross-border investments.
Onanuga further disclosed that President Tinubu will use both platforms to present his administration’s reform agenda aimed at positioning Nigeria as a leading destination for investment and economic growth. He is also expected to hold high-level meetings with global and African business leaders on the sidelines of the events.
The President will be accompanied by key ministers and senior government officials and is expected to return to Nigeria at the conclusion of the Rwanda engagement.