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How Macron humanised France during his Nigerian visit

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France and Nigeria

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Political relations

France and Nigeria seek to develop their political relations. Bilateral relations have particularly grown in the economic and cultural fields. Nigeria, because of its demographic, economic, cultural and political importance, has a crucial role in Africa.

French presence

X account of our Embassy: @FranceInNigeria Instagram: franceinnigeria Facebook: FranceInNigeria Website: ng.ambafrance.org Ambassador: Ms Emmanuelle Blatmann X: @eblatmann

The French President visited Nigeria in July 2018. He first met with President Buhari in Abuja to discuss regional issues, the G5 Sahel and counter-terrorism. He then went to Lagos where he visited the New Afrika Shrine, paying tribute to African cultural heritage and highlighting Nigeria’s contemporary creation, which is flourishing. The inauguration of the new Alliance Française in Lagos, the Mike Adenuga Centre, has also brought to fruition an exemplary partnership with Nigeria’s private sector to the benefit of France-Nigeria cultural outreach. At a meeting with more than 1500 young entrepreneurs held by the Tony Elumelu Foundation, the President detailed France’s action to support African entrepreneurship and innovation. He also met with Nigerian business leaders. Lastly, the signature of a partnership between the Agence Française de Développement (AFD, French development agency) and NBA Africa at the Lycée Français Louis Pasteur in Lagos gave form to one of the President’s commitments in his 2017 Ouagadougou speech: to make sport a lever for development in Africa, benefiting African young people.

In June 2019, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian, took part in Democracy Day in Abuja, commemorating the democratic election of Moshood Abiola on 12 June 1993, which was then annulled by the military. The Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, Franck Riester, visited Abuja and Lagos in April 2021 to strengthen bilateral cooperation and encourage investment in both countries, particularly in the logistics, banking, energy, agrifood and infrastructure sectors.

President Muhammadu Buhari took part in the Summit on the Financing of African Economies in Paris on 18 May 2021. During this visit, he had a meeting with the French President. President Buhari returned to France in November 2021 for the Paris Peace Forum, and was received at the Élysée Palace. A Nigerian economic forum was held in Paris on the sidelines of the event.

On 28 June 2021, six major Nigerian businesspeople took part in the France-Nigeria Business Council meeting at the Château de Versailles, on the sidelines of the Choose France Summit, in the presence of Minister Delegate Riester. The Council was an opportunity for the business communities of both countries to forge ties giving rise to promising new projects. The French President concluded the discussions.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s first official visit abroad was to Paris, to take part in the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact on 22 and 23 June 2023. During this visit, he had a meeting with the French President.

The Ambassador

Ms Emmanuelle Blatmann has been Ambassador to Nigeria since October 2021.

Economic relations

Nigeria is France’s leading trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa, and the fourth-largest in Africa, behind Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. In 2021, Nigeria accounted for 20% of France’s trade with sub-Saharan Africa, amounting to €3.53 billion. France has a bilateral trade deficit of €2.3 billion.

In 2021, French exports to Nigeria rose steeply in value on the previous year, from €528 million to €611 million, or a 16% rise, in the first year of rising French sales to Nigeria in 9 years. Manufactured products represent almost the totality of France’s exports to Nigeria, with agrifood products being the leading export at around 30%. France is Nigeria’s 9th-largest supplier, between Germany and Brazil.

While petroleum products represent 95% of our imports from Nigeria, the around 100 French companies in the country are present in various economic sectors, including pharmaceuticals, energy, insurance, agrifood, shipping and hospitality, employing around 10,000 people directly. French foreign direct investment in Nigeria has doubled in a decade, confirming the historic and long-term activities of our companies. France’s foreign direct investment stock in the country, which stood at €7.2 billion in 2021, is ahead of that of the United Kingdom and the United States.

The France-Nigeria Business Council was launched in 2018 and brings together the major French and Nigerian companies that wish to launch investment partnerships together. It has brought to fruition both French investment projects in Nigeria and Nigerian investment projects in France, particularly in the banking sector.

Click here for Nigeria’s economic statistics : key figures on bilateral trade and support for French businesses

Cultural and scientific cooperation

The French cooperation network in Nigeria includes 15 sites, coordinated by the Abuja Embassy’s Cooperation and Cultural Action Service (SCAC): the Institut Français of Nigeria, two schools licenced by the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE), a French Secular Mission (MLF) school in Port Harcourt, 10 Alliance Française branches across the country, and the French Research Institute in Africa in Ibadan (IFRA-Ibadan) , supervised by the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). The Lagos Alliance Française branch, the Mike Adenuga Centre, has become a key centre since its inauguration by the French President in 2018. It offers French courses, an art gallery, a 120-capacity auditorium, a cinema and an outdoor theatre, as well as a restaurant and bakery. The SCAC manages several projects financed through the Ministry’s Solidarity Fund for Innovative Projects (FSPI). The “Cultural and Creative Industries” FSPI, for example, aims to consolidate existing partnerships between French and Nigerian stakeholders in this field (music, digital technology, performing arts, etc.) and spark new ones, particularly in the field of e-sport in Lagos. IFRA-Ibadan manages another FSPI project, dedicated to preserving Nigerian heritage. In the area of development, the AFD focuses on the diversification of the country’s economy, the low-carbon energy transition and sustainable and productive farming to ensure food security. The projects implemented by the AFD and its subsidiary dedicated to private sector development, Proparco, directly benefit Nigerian citizens, workers and businesspeople by supporting the efforts of the federal government and constituent states to guarantee better access to basic services like water and electricity, to infrastructure and to a more conducive business environment. Since 2010, the AFD has dedicated €2.5 billion to Nigeria, primarily in the form of loans.

In January 2022, the Directorate General of the Treasury (DGT) approved a concessional loan to the Nigerian federal State to benefit the state of Oyo (south-west), aimed at enabling it to access financing (€55 million) at a preferential rate to strengthen its health system.

Other cooperation

Security and defence cooperation.

Security and defence cooperation aims to provide support to Nigeria’s army, navy and police forces. Military cooperation focuses on French language education to provide support to the strategy drafted by President Buhari, which aims to ensure in five years that most officers are able to interact with the armed forces of Francophone countries in the subregion. The maritime security project concerns hydrography, diving, maritime cyber security, fleet maintenance and special forces. This broadens France’s cooperation with the Gulf of Guinea’s leading navy. Internal security and civil protection cooperation focuses on airport security and the fight against drug trafficking.

France also supports the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in its fight against Boko Haram through intelligence and operational cooperation, working from N’Djamena. At the political level and concerning development in the Lake Chad region, France is part of the International Support Group for Regional Strategy for the Stabilization, Recovery & Resilience of the African Union and the Chad Basin Commission.

Lastly, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs contributes to humanitarian and stabilization efforts in the Lake Chad Basin, as well as in Nigeria’s north-west.

Updated: 29 August 2023

Useful links

• France / Nigeria (in French)
• More information on the website of the ministry (in French)
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Emmanuel Macron’s unconventional visit to Nigeria was low on policy but high on culture

On his first trip to Nigeria as president, France’s Emmanuel Macron seemed anti-establishment.

Yes, he landed to the regular pomp of a presidential welcome and had a meeting with Nigeria’s president Muhammadu Buhari in Nigeria’s capital. But beyond that, much of the 40-year old’s visit was removed from government business.

First was a conspicuous trip to New Afrika Shrine, a concert venue in Lagos owned by the family of the Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti. The late musician, a fierce anti-government critic, railed against successive military regimes through music and was jailed several times by military leaders, including current president Buhari who served as head of state between 1983 and 1985. Indeed the New Afrika Shrine replaced the original venue after it was burned down in 1977 by the army.

Given its proudly anti-establishment roots, a visit to the Shrine does not typically feature in a visiting president’s itinerary. But Macron was quick to dispel any notions that his visit was unusual given the shrine’s cultural value. “It may be a surprise that a French president goes to the shrine, but it never surprises anyone if I go to the Albert Hall or the Met,” he said. While there, Macron also announced the launch of African Cultures Season in 2020, an event to promote African culture aimed at changing cliched perceptions of Africa. The visit was a homecoming of sorts for Macron who spent six months in Nigeria working as an intern at the French embassy in 2002 and sojourns to the shrine were part of that experience.

Later on, at an interactive session with young business leaders in Lagos, Macron did not shy from poking at the government’s economic policies saying it’s the “fault” of politicians if local businesses cannot thrive given Nigeria’s huge market. Macron’s interest in African businesses is well noted: in May, he committed $76 million to backing African startups.

Migration also featured heavily on Macron’s agenda as he emphasized the need for governments in Africa to make countries work better and remove the incentive for young citizens to take “crazy risks” to get into Europe. As of June, over 700 people had died trying to cross the Mediterranean to Europe this year. As the European Union explores ways to stop the migration wave — including creating migrant processing centers in North Africa — Macron insists that, for the best chance of success, African governments must lead that process.

Since taking office, Macron has had a mixed relationship with Africa. From making a problematic and exaggerated claim about “civilization” and childbearing rates in African states to promising to declassify files on the late Thomas Sankara’s death, a move that’s proven popular in Francophone Africa. But it is clear that Macron sees Africa playing an important role in France’s future and vice versa.

Before Nigeria, Macron had already visited Africa seven times, touching down in nine countries since becoming president last May. He has consistently appealed to young Africans to be take up entrepreneurship and innovation while charging African leaders to fix problems at home as risky migration to Europe booms. And unlike former French presidents, he has also been bold on the subject of colonization. While campaigning for the presidency he described colonization as a “crime against humanity” and has committed to returning African artifacts in France that were stolen during the colonial era.

Citing his success during French elections, Macron also urged young people to participate in politics. That message is timely as Nigeria has just lowered age limits for major political offices ahead of next year’s general elections .

And ultimately, there was some very traditional French interests being supported by the visit despite the culture-led charm offensive by Macron as shown by tweet by French oil giant Total’s chief executive:

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He spent 13 days in Paris on a “private visit.”

After a 13-day stay in Paris, France, President Bola Tinubu has returned to Nigeria from his private visit. 

The president, who departed Abuja on January 24th, was welcomed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja Tuesday evening  by top government officials.

President Tinubu was on a private visit to France according to a statement by a spokesman but the statement did not provide details regarding the purpose of the visit.

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His return to the country comes amid rising concerns over the cost of living, fueled by protests in some states. 

Additionally, opposition parties, socio-cultural groups, and civil society organizations have expressed displeasure over his absence, especially in the face of increasing cases of abductions and other security challenges in Nigeria.

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Visit to Nigeria of the French Minister for Foreign Trade and Attractiveness, Mr. Franck Riester, from 12 to 14 April 2021

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Mr Franck Riester, French Minister for Foreign Trade and Attractiveness, visited Nigeria from 12 to 14 April 2021. This visit followed the priorities set by French President Emmanuel Macron during his visit to Nigeria in July 2018 and his desire to change the narrative of relations between Africa and France.

France is a major financial partner of Nigeria, being Nigeria’s second largest bilateral creditor after China, thanks to the involvement of AFD (French Development Agency) which has committed more than €2 billion over the past ten years in various projects related to sustainable urban development. France also wishes to finance capacity building in the health sector in some Nigerian states.

To underline the importance of the bilateral economic relationship, the French Minister Delegate held two meetings with the Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Mr Adebayo, and the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed. He recalled France’s support for the candidacy of Ms. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the new WTO Director-General. He then met with more than a dozen Nigerian governors in an unprecedented format to emphasise that France was not only cooperating with Abuja and Lagos, but was already engaged in direct partnerships with other Nigerian states to address the needs of Nigerians across the country.

On his arrival in Lagos, the Minister visited Caverton and tested the state-of-the-art helicopter simulator built by Thales which will enable Nigeria to be the only helicopter training centre in Africa, creating many highly skilled job opportunities. It is the only flight simulator of its kind in the whole of Africa.

After meeting with Nigerian entrepreneurs active in cultural and creative industries such as fashion, animation and media, which the French government supports, the Minister then met with Mr. Abdul Samad Rabiu, Mr. Herbert Wigwe and Mr. Aliko Dangote.

Finally, the Minister met with representatives of the French business community, before opening the "Choose Africa" conference organised by the private sector financing agency Proparco at the Mike Adenuga Center - Alliance française. The "Choose Africa" initiative has already financed nearly 100 MEUR of projects by Nigerian entrepreneurs and should contribute to creating or maintaining 480,000 jobs in Nigeria by 2022. As the Minister stated on this occasion, France is thus committed to accompanying brilliant Nigerian entrepreneurs on the road to success.

In this context, he announced that President Macron will host a Summit on Financing African Economies in Paris on May 18. The Summit will bring together African leaders and partners, including the heads of international financial institutions, to collectively address the economic challenges of the health crisis and stimulate a strong and inclusive recovery in Africa. The Minister also announced the 28th official Africa-France Summit from 8 to 10 July in Montpellier where African entrepreneurship will be in the spotlight.

Illustrating the strong involvement of French companies in logistics in Lagos, the minister ended his visit by visiting the port of Tincan where the Bollore group operates the container terminal and boarded the container ship "Jasper", owned by the French group CMA-CGM, also involved in the operation of the future container terminal of the deep water port of Lekki.

Dernière modification : 26/04/2021

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Breaking: President Tinubu returns after private visit to France

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has returned to Nigeria after his private visit to France .

The president departed Abuja two weeks ago for Paris on a private visit.

Details later

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All The Details Of French President, Emmanuel Macron, Visit To Nigeria

The President of France Emmanuel Macron visited Nigeria last week, on July 3. Find out why he paid a visit to the country and which activities he enjoyed right now!

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1. Why was he there?

Ever since Emmanuel Macron was elected to the highest office in France, he made no secret out of his desire to build stronger ties to African countries. That is why he was especially excited to visit Nigeria for the first time as the President.

However, it wasn’t the first visit Emmanuel Macron paid to Nigeria. In fact, in 2002 the future French President spent six months working as an intern for the French embassy in the country, which is why his first official presidential visit is even more significant for Macron.

2. What did he do?

Emmanuel Macron arrived to Nigeria earlier last week and spent a total of two days in the country. The first part of his visit was purely official: he met with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja and discussed a variety of important points, including launching an France-Nigeria investment club, strengthening of business ties between Nigeria and France, and immigration.

Then began the informal part of Macron’s visit. The President of France confessed to being fascinated by Nigerian culture and having a special place for it in his heart ever since he spent a long time working there.

Emmanuel Macron said that if Africa and Nigeria succeed, it’s going to be a win-win situation for everyone involved. He also urged young people not to do anything drastic to end up as migrants, since the migrant crisis is one of the most discussed topics today in the world.

3. Emmanuel Macron at New Afrika Shrine

Perhaps, the most widely discussed part of the President’s visit to Nigeria is him attending New Afrika Shrine, the famous Lagos nightclub founded by the iconic musician Fela Kuti. While some were surprised by Macron’s choice of the venue, it turned out that during his stint at the French embassy, the future President of France paid a visit to the club and had some precious memories of his time there.

New Afrika Shrine has never been visited by any President, which is why Macron’s visit to the club is so noteworthy. The club is a notorious hot spot, but this fact didn’t scare the President away. Instead, he not only enjoyed the performances, but also joined the musicians onstage to experience what he calls “African energy”.

The visit of Emmanuel Macron to Nigeria was brief but eventful. It was largely about the various policies and international business, but what’s even more important that Macron spent a lot of time communicating with Nigerian people and culture. Here’s hoping he’ll be back soon enough!

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Tinubu to embark on official visit to Netherlands today

President Bola Tinubu is set to embark on an official visit to the Kingdom of the Netherlands starting today, Tuesday, April 23, 2024.

President Tinubu’s official visit to the Netherlands, as announced through a statement on the official X account of the Presidency Nigeria on Monday, comes at the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

During his time in the Netherlands, President Tinubu will engage with Prime Minister Mark Rutte and hold separate meetings with His Royal Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima. Queen Máxima serves as the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA).

Furthermore, the President will participate in the Nigerian-Dutch Business and Investment Forum that will bring together heads of conglomerates and organizations in both countries to explore opportunities for collaborations and partnerships, especially in agriculture and water management towards innovative solutions for sustainable farming practices.

• “There will also be extensive discussions with Dutch officials on port management operations for which they have world-renowned experience,” the statement added.

Recommended reading: President Tinubu travels to Paris, France on private visit

More insight.

The statement further revealed that following President Tinubu’s visit to the Netherlands, he will travel to Saudi Arabia for a two-day World Economic Forum.

The World Economic Forum will be held in Riyadh from April 28 to April 29, 2024.

• “After his engagements in the Netherlands, the President will proceed to attend a special World Economic Forum (WEF) scheduled for April 28-29 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,” the statement read in part.

The forum, emphasizing global collaboration, growth, and energy for development, will gather over 1,000 leaders from business and academia.

The statement also revealed that President Tinubu, accompanied by ministers and senior officials, will leverage this platform to advance discussions aligning with his administration’s objectives for Nigeria under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

President Bola Tinubu’s entourage on these diplomatic visits will comprise some ministers and government officials.Bola Tinubu, World Economic Forum, Prime Minister Rutte, Kingdom of Netherlands

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Nigerians spark over Tinubu’s frequent private visits to France

• President’s Current Trip Amid Crisis On The Plateau Insensitive, Say Stakeholders • ‘Economic Situation Requires His Presence, Total Attention Not Junketing Round The Globe’ • Nigerians Deserve To Know His Mission To France – Uwazurike, Soetan, Others • He Is Within Constitutional Limit, Lawyers Declare

There is anger and uncertainty in the air across the country over President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s incessant private trips to Paris, France.

The Guardian findings show that many Nigerians became agitated after the President departed last Wednesday for Paris on a private visit, the third time since he assumed office eight months ago.

The terse press statement issued by the president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, announcing the trip did not also go down well with some stakeholders.

The statement only revealed that President Tinubu was travelling to France and nothing else. “He will return to the country in the first week of February 2024,” Ngelale said.

Stakeholders, who spoke on the issue, however, expressed divergent opinions on the legality or otherwise of the president expending public resources on his private engagements.

On June 20, 2023, three weeks after assuming office, Tinubu opened his foreign schedules in Paris, the French capital.

A statement signed by then Special Adviser, Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, Dele Alake, had explained that during his four-day stay, the President participated in the Paris Summit for the New Global Financial Pact, to “review and sign a New Global Financial Pact that places vulnerable countries on the priority list for support and investment, following the devastating impact of climate change, energy crisis, and after effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

In September 2023, the President spent nine days with world leaders in New York, U.S., at the 78th United Nations General Assembly, which began on September 19, his first UNGA as President.

Afterward, he proceeded to Paris, where he spent five days, arriving in Abuja on September 29 ahead of Nigeria’s 63rd Independence Day anniversary on October 1.

While the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) are demanding to know reason for Tinubu’s regular private visits to France, some lawyers held that there is nothing in Nigeria laws prohibiting him as president to travel on private visit as long as he did not expend public resources.

The PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, had stated that insecurity and the state of the nation’s economy make it the worst time for Tinubu to embark on a foreign trip, the spokesperson for the 2023 Presidential Campaign Council of the LP, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, alleged there was a hidden agenda for the trip.

“The President is a public figure; he represents the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So, everything he engages in ought to be public knowledge. His whereabouts must be known so that people can follow him for accountability.

“If he decides to embark on a private activity or visit, he must transmit power to the Vice President to do his private thing. But as long as he remains the President, there is no provision for any private visit in the 1999 Constitution as amended 2010.

“In that case, he should have handed over before jetting out of the country. In any case, we all know what they are doing. He is tactically pulling the wool over the face of Nigerians so he can travel for medical check up as he is avoiding public scrutiny to cover up on his health status. This is the continuation of his predecessor’s style,” Tanko said.

He called on the National Assembly to interrogate the development whereby the Presidency is introducing jargons that are alien to the constitution in the guise of a private visit that is done with public funds.

“It is unfortunate that he had since pocketed the National Assembly; they are mere rubberstamp. It is only the public that can now demand for accountability and his whereabouts,” he added.

But a Lagos-based lawyer, Christian Oti, stated that the President, being a person and free citizen, is entitled to make private trips.

“I personally don’t think there is any provision of the Constitution against that. However, I believe such private trips should be funded by him as a private person as well. The President receives salary and other allowances. So, he can foot his private bills himself and not burden the state,” he said.

Another lawyer, Douglas Ogbankwa, said the President is “entitled to proceed on private visits as he has done to France,” adding: “Unfortunately, by Nigerian law, there is no inhibition on his use of public funds or public resources for such private visits.

“I do not know of any constitutional or legal bar for him to use public resources for private visits. It can only be a moral issue and not a legal issue.”

The lawyer, however, added that many countries of the world have zero tolerance for the use of public resources for private affairs.

“We need a legal regime or to amend our laws to reflect such international best practices,” he added.

Executive Director of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, stated that the Nigerian Constitution didn’t stipulate how much the President could embark on such travels, adding that it will be difficult to fault him.

“The thing is that as a president, we cannot predetermine how much he can engage in such travels especially as the constitution and other law of the federation did not prescribe the number of times he can travel. The only provision that is available is the number of weeks he could stay from the office without transmitting power to his vice. If we are to zero in on the Paris trip, which we believe has been frequent, the president should at least let the people know about the nature of the visits,” Adeniran said.

For the Abuja based lawyer, Jerry Aondo, President Tinubu was voted to hold the office of the President in trust for the citizenry and this presupposes that every private engagement, businesses or visit has to be kept away from the office.

“Section 130(2) CFRN 1999 (as amended) states the executive responsibility of the president above his personal interest and under the framework of our constitution, the president’s powers should not be used to bring about or attain unconstitutional result to his personal gain.

“The President’s actions run contrary to Chapter II of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) to save cost and use our common wealth for the welfare of the citizenry of this country. Aside from the criticism on funding private visit with tax payers’ money, the President, under the CFRN 1999 (as amended), is not allowed to use his office in trust to negotiate businesses or trips, which ought to be as personal cost.

“The reality is that, all movements by the President to France should be of public knowledge and the reasons stated. The transformative justice to cut cost to 60 persons must be adhered to by the President as the number one citizen of this country. The cost of governance must be accountable by the President. He has the responsibility as an asset of this country to act practicable in line with his mandate to hold the office in trust for the good of the citizenry,” Aondo said.

On his part, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate in 2023, Adewole Adebayo, said President Tinubu should signal seriousness to the federal workforce, noting that Nigerians and the country needs him most at this critical time.

According to him, without handing over the reins of government to the Vice President officially and declaring a gazetted leave of absence, the President is not entitled to any private visit outside Nigeria.

He noted that the President, having just returned from Christmas holidays to his home state, Lagos, less than a month ago, and now awarding himself a private visit at the beginning of the year with most pending and emergent socio-economic and national security issues unresolved and seemingly unattended to, is behaving like a part-time contractor in the State House.

His words: “There is nothing private about the president of the country. His private visits are of public interest. It is the duty of the Presidency to give full details of the presidential itinerary to be public, in transparent and regular updates. The Presidency is a full time, round the clock office for the entire four-year period. If the president is not on official leave of absence, the notion of a private visit is an insolent misnomer.

“And if the President is on a leave of absence, the Vice President should be acting as president. In that scenario, a private visit, which is well briefed to the general public, is not out of line.

“The President is first and foremost a government employee. He can’t just abscond first and explain later. Imagine if President Tinubu walks to the front porch of the Villa only to find out that his driver has gone out of town on a private visit, taking the car keys with him? Would the President condone that?

“He must signal seriousness to the federal workforce and the rest of Nigeria. I pray for strength and discernment on his behalf.

“We need him more than he knows. He is the only one we have. All executive powers of the federation are vested in him. He needs to be available for us. I pray for strength and discernment on his behalf.”

According to Youth Party National Publicity Secretary, Ayodele Adio, it is disheartening that the President decided to travel abroad at a moment the security of the country is in question.

Adio said it was unacceptable for the president to prioritise his personal interest over the security of a state whose conflict has the potential to spill to other states.

“It’s unclear why the President visits France regularly as the communication from his media team is usually vague. However, I take issue with this particular one because he chose to embark on a private visit when a state is engulfed in crisis, considering that he’s the Commander-in-Chief.

“While I understand the usual argument that he will not directly be involved with the security personnel in the conflict zone, his presence will pressure the troops to double down on their efforts and will also reassure the residents of Plateau that their President cares and is doing everything to restore peace,” Adio said.

The founding National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Chekwas Okorie, believes President Tinubu’s private visit to Paris is one of the privileges and entitlements of a Nigerian President under the country’s laws.

He identified other such visits to include state visits, diplomatic visits and working visits, adding: “I consider the noisy controversy over his private visit to Paris as being unduly dramatised.”

He, however, suggested that the Presidency ought to provide more details about the nature of the private visit.

“The demand for more details is because of his status as the President of Nigeria. This would have cleared wild speculations spreading everywhere, particularly about its timing at a time when insecurity and several other flashpoints have put Nigerian on the edge of instability,” he explained.

Executive Director, Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO), Ibuchukwu Ezike, stated that only God, the president, and perhaps, those close to him could adduce reasons for such frequent travels to France.

“However, as a human, one can only attempt a guess. Three or four reasons I may suggest. First, France is one of the few developed nations of the World that readily accepted his Presidency. He may be visiting them as a friend. Secondly, the visit may be economical; to discuss economic cooperation with France. It may also be on medical tourism; to examine himself medically to be fit to deliver on his mandate to Nigerians.

“The last is on the soured relationship between France and her former colonies in the West African sub-region. President Tinubu is the Chairman of ECOWAS and one cannot foreclose France’s option of seeking his intervention in brokering peace between them and their former colonies in West Africa,” he noted.

But the Coordinator of Civil Rights Initiatives, Stephanie Brown, urged the President to shelve such visits and stay home to solve the country’s numerous problems.

“What has such visits benefitted us in the past? We are complaining about economic hardship, insecurity and killings here and there. Instead of sitting down to attend to the issues, he is embarking on private visits to the president of a country where things are working with our scare resources. It is not as if he is bringing something of benefit to the country with such visits

“So, for me, it is not right. Our leaders should learn to be leaders and stop running to individuals they feel are more superior. The President has embarked on numerous visits outside the country since he was sworn into office last year. I am yet to see the benefits of such visits. Rather, Nigerians keep suffering in pains and poverty. It is time for him to sit down at home and initiate good policies that will attract these foreign powers to Nigeria not running to them all the time,” she said.

Emeritus President of Aka Ikenga, Chief Goddy Uwazurike, in his reaction, stated: “It’s disheartening that the president is continuing the infamous conduct of his predecessor, of jetting out on secret missions and leaving the affairs of the state in limbo.

“The legacy party of APC was AC. AC had the heroic role of insisting that the then President Umaru Yar’Adua disclosed his health status and why he was moving between Egypt and Saudi Arabia in unexplained missions.

“Former president, Muhammadu Buhari, took the esoteric trips and stay to a new level. Today, we have a president who is once more in Paris on unknown missions. What is wrong with addressing the nation and frankly disclosing his health status? Will it make him any less than what he is?”

The Youth Leader of the PDP in Ogun State, Sunkanmi Oyejide, who lamented the economic hardship in the country, said Tinubu’s private trip at this time was not the best, saying there was no sign yet that this administration is ready for business.

He said: “Being a president comes with high level of responsibility, which is what the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – Tinubu should know. It’s like when your house is on fire and you abandon it. What does that translate to?

“At this moment when there’s a great deal of insecurity in the land. We are all aware of what is happening in Plateau State. We are all aware of what happened last Thursday to the Lagos State Chairman of the PDP who was kidnapped while returning from the Southwest PDP meeting at Ibadan. We are aware that ours is an economy that is struggling, that needs an urgent attention.

“These are some of the things that the critical stakeholders and President need to discuss. He needs to stay more at home and consult widely so that we can have an economy that we are all proud of. A dollar to naira is over N1, 400 now; we have never had it this bad in this way in this country. His private trip at this time is not the best for the country. This administration should start showing why the electorate voted them into office; we should by now be seeing signs that the administration is ready for business.”

Oyejide stressed that at this critical period in the country, the President should sit more at home and engage critical stakeholders to fix the economy.

“There have been a lot of talks about the Dangote and Port Harcourt refineries that operations will soon start. But as we speak, nothing is working.

“Things have already started falling apart in this country. The President should sit more at home and stop embarking on needless trips abroad. Doing business in the country is no longer safe; the multinationals, including pharmaceutical companies, are moving their businesses outside the country. The drugs we buy at N1,000 is now about N11,000; the rice, which was the cheapest for the common man is now around N60,000. There is hunger in the land,” he added.

The Coordinator, Campaign Against Impunity in Nigeria, Comrade Shina Loremikan, who expressed worries over the state of the nation, said the country has entered ‘one chance.’

“It has been giving me some worries and concern that we only read a public statement that the president is on a private visit to Paris. What for? I don’t know. I think as a head of government, the job is not a part-time job, it’s a full time job; you don’t go on holiday or leave of absence without justification.

“In December 2023, the president relocated from Aso Rock to Lagos, Dodan Barracks and later Bourdillon, before the public holidays. One would have thought it’s enough for him to get some rest. But now, he has flown to Paris. The images I saw gave the impression that the emblem of Nigeria was on the aircraft. I don’t know if it’s a recent picture or the picture of his departure to Paris. If the visit is private, I don’t expect the President to be on our presidential fleet.

“The public notice also said the President will be back sometime in February. There’s no specific date. The experience we have had with the president of this country is that, we don’t even know their specific motive for travelling. It happened with President Yar’Adua; it happened with President Buhari, unfortunately, we are having it now with President Tinubu,” he said.

Loremikan noted that he has never heard that the president of some other third world countries, maybe Singapore, Malaysia or Vietnam left their country for medical treatment in Europe or America.

“I have never heard that the President of Cuba left Cuba for medical treatment outside the country. For many who don’t know, one of the best counties that deliver medical services is Cuba. I think we should join hands together to rebuild our Nigeria, that our medical services will be excellent.

“I don’t understand what they mean by private visit. We need more information. Every 24 hours to redeem this nation means a lot to Nigerians. Every week means a lot for the young people of Nigeria to be given realistic hope. The situation we are now in Nigeria shows that we have really entered one chance.

“To be a patriot goes beyond mouthing it. Painfully, the former president of Egypt, Anwar Sadat, took the issue of the Middle East seriously that his life was terminated. Indira Gandhi in India took the issue of nation building in India seriously and his life was terminated. I don’t see any public officer ready to die for this country.

“Their utterances, their conducts, their character, their ambition, and their mission, does not suggest that they are ready to die for this country. They just want mere survival on a daily basis. If they know the ABC of the insecurity problem in Nigeria, they don’t have the XYZ solutions to it,” he noted.

On its part, the Centre for Democracy, described the frequent trips and the secrecy about the trips as worrisome, noting that the country is being ran like a private enterprise.

“The President can travel; he has been traveling, either official or unofficial. As a public servant, who in the full glare of the cameras flew out of the country in Nigeria presidential jet, Nigeria Air Force 01, I think Nigerians deserve to know wherever the President goes; be it for private visit, vacation or official assignment.

“To reduce the whereabouts of a country’s President to private visit to the extent that Nigerians do not know the current location of their President or situation calls for worry.

“Like I said, it is not out of place to travel for official or unofficial visit. But I think it is very unfortunate that the president of a country would be on what is described as a private visit. Is the President on vacation? Is he on leave? Did he hand over to his vice? These are the fundamental questions because we must understand that we cannot continue to run a state like a private enterprise,” said Olufemi Lawson of the CDC.

Lawson expressed sadness that in the last 72 hours, some people have been killed in Mangu Council of Plateau State, noting that not even a minister has visited that part of the country.

“Nigeria, whether anybody likes it or not, is going through turbulence. Of course, the President can travel; for instance, he has issue of his health to address. Although we did not expect that he will leave that time and go to Mangu. But at least, the President, while leaving the country, must be seen to be concerned about the situation in the country, particularly the current security situation. As I speak to you, communities are being attacked day and night in Plateau State and some other parts of the country. Now you said the president is going on a private visit.

“Have we become so convenient and comfortable that the President will travel on a private visit without giving speculations on what such visit is about and of course the location of the President? I think we should be concerned as Nigerians that at this very crucial moment, the president is embarking on a private visit while the country is virtually burns,” Lawson said.

National Publicity Secretary, Young Progressives Party (YPP), Egbeola Martin, wondered why the visit of the president this time was shrouded in secrecy.

Noting that the president is a public asset with some level of limitations to his privacy, he said the Presidency should stop being treated like a cult where things have to be done in secrecy.

According to Martin, even if the president must travel “especially at a time such as this where there is high level of insecurity, I think he owes the citizens an explanation as to what he is going to do and where he is going to.”

He said: “Being a president to a country, in as much as he has right to his privacy, there are limitations to that privacy. You can’t be going on a private visit for two weeks without letting citizens know the purpose of such a visit. The president is a public property from the very day he was sworn in as the president of Nigeria and his affairs is also our concerns.”

On his part, Programmes and Communications Manager, Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), Armsfree Ajanaku, observed that a private visit where state resources have been expended raises question of accountability.

Recalling that similar scenario played out during the last administration, he said the recent action by the Presidency suggests a continuation of culture of impunity

“This current visit by the President was portrayed by the Presidency as a private visit; a private visit in which state resources has been expended. It shows that in terms of the understanding of those who lead the country, there is no demarcation between public and private resources. That in itself raises a lot of accountability question that we have to look at going forward,” he said.

Chairman, Citizenship Civic Awareness Centre aka Democracy Vanguard, Adeola Soetan, also said: “I always say, one can only feign sickness but one can’t feign wellness no matter how we try. This was my submission during the unnecessary hide and seek game when Buhari’s health was failing and he was embarking on frequent medical trip to Europe. President Tinubu has followed the same path of non-disclosure of his real state of health even before assuming office. But now as president, citizens deserve to know everything about him and others. Unfortunately, Nigeria is back on the same vicious circle of tragicomedy on the president’s health and private visit. It’s a familiar scene of false narrative, from private visit to slight medical checkup, to extension of the president’s private visit to whether he should  transmit power to his vice since he’s staying too long, to the president can operate from anywhere in the world. It shows how flippant, arrogant, crooked and unreliable the Nigerian ruling elites can be by taking citizens for granted. Body is not wood or stone, and nobody expects leaders to be super humans not to fall sick or even die, we all do.

“Those who are not transparent enough to disclose the state of their health can’t be expected to be honest with the state of the nation and its resources in their care.  Private visits should be privately funded and should not be on the “nation’s neck,” he said.

Head of Department of Politics and International Relations, KolaDaisi University, Ibadan, Dr. Adebukola Ayoola, said: “I see no reason for the spark. Even though he is a public figure, he has right to make private trips. The only thing is proper communication of his whereabouts to the nation, which his media aid already did. Reason for his visit to France remains private to him and it could be anything, perhaps, for medical check up or otherwise. Nigerians should stop making noise for the wrong reasons.”

In this article

• Bola Ahmed Tinubu
• Debo Adeniran
• Labour Party
• Plateau killing

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CAF president Motsepe says aiming for African team to win 'next World Cup'

Issued on: 24/04/2024 - 16:19

Play - 12:29

In an exclusive interview with FRANCE 24, the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Patrice Motsepe discussed his ambitions for African football and his tenure as CAF president. He also rejected accusations of defamation from Cameroon's football federation president Samuel Eto'o and responded to allegations of sexual abuse involving several youth football team coaches in Gabon.

Motsepe stated that one of his objectives is for an African team to win the next World Cup  in 2026. According to him, the most recent Africa Cup of Nations , which was held in Ivory Coast earlier this year, was "the most successful in the history of African football". It brought in $80 million, saw a doubling of sponsor numbers and attracted over 2 billion television viewers worldwide, he said.

The CAF president explained that he found "fundamental problems" when he arrived as the head of the confederation in 2021, particularly in terms of "governance, auditing [and] transparency". He noted that his mission involved ensuring that CAF regained the trust of sponsors and partners. 

Asked whether he will again run for CAF president next year, Motsepe said that one of his objectives is to establish a solid foundation and leadership team, so that he can be replaced if necessary. But he did not rule out running for a second term, insisting that the "good work" done must not go to waste.

To those who say that the real boss of CAF is  FIFA  President  Gianni Infantino , Motsepe responded that this kind of allegation does not bother him. He said it reminded him of a past when  Africa  was not considered capable of making its own decisions. 

Motsepe went on to reject the accusations of  Cameroon 's football federation president and former star player Samuel Eto'o, who claimed that CAF is defaming him through an investigation into match-fixing in Cameroon. "None of us, starting with me as the president of CAF, are above the law," Motsepe said, adding that the investigation is being conducted in accordance with "due process" and respect for the presumption of innocence. 

Finally, asked about cases of alleged sexual abuse by several youth team coaches in Gabon , he said that CAF is taking the matter very seriously. For Motsepe, the fact that the president of the Gabonese federation – who is accused of failing to inform the authorities of the alleged abuse – was recently re-elected to the CAF executive committee is not a sign of contempt for alleged victims.

CAF is looking into the problem "as a matter of urgency", but is often hampered by the fact that suspects are sometimes imprisoned without trial in their home countries, Motsepe said.

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• Africa Cup of Nations

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Koning en minister-president ontvangen president van Nigeria

Nieuwsbericht | 24-04-2024 | 09:50

Zijne Majesteit de Koning en minister-president Rutte ontvangen donderdag 25 april de president van de Federale Republiek Nigeria, de heer Bola Tinubu, tijdens zijn werkbezoek aan Nederland. Het bezoek staat in het teken van de goede relaties tussen Nederland en Nigeria.

Minister-president Rutte ontvangt president Tinubu donderdag 25 april op het Catshuis. Tijdens een werklunch wordt onder meer gesproken over samenwerking op het gebied van economie, politiek, handel en het delen van kennis op het gebied van circulaire energie, migratie en voedselzekerheid. Bij de lunch zijn ook de Nigeriaanse minister van Buitenlandse Zaken, Yusuf Mataima Tuggar en de Nederlandse minister van Buitenlandse Zaken, Hanke Bruins Slot aanwezig. ’s Middags nemen de president en minister Yusuf Mataima Tuggar deel aan een besloten Business & Investment Forum van VNO-NCW in Den Haag.

De koning ontvangt president Tinubu aan het einde van de middag in audiëntie op paleis Huis ten Bosch. Aansluitend spreekt koningin Máxima met de president over de voortgang van financiële inclusie in Nigeria. In 2017 bracht zij als speciale pleitbezorger van de secretaris-generaal van de Verenigde Naties voor inclusieve financiering voor ontwikkeling (UNSGSA) een bezoek aan het land.

’s Avonds bieden koning Willem-Alexander en koningin Máxima de president en zijn delegatie een diner aan. Andere genodigden zijn de minister van Economische Zaken en Klimaat, Micky Adriaansens, en vertegenwoordigers van een aantal Nederlandse bedrijven en kennisinstellingen.

THE CDA & PRESIDENT OF BAR ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA 

THE CDA WITH THE CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF EXECUTIVE OF NIGERIA  ASSOCIATION IN MOSELLE ON A COURTESY VISIT TO THE EMBASSY

Macron Visit to Germany in May to Focus on EU Ties

FILE PHOTO: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron before their trilateral meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk for the consultation forum 'Weimar Triangle', at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany March 15, 2024. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse/File Photo

By Andreas Rinke

BERLIN (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Germany in May and will spend more days than planned with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, government sources said, in a sign of their ambition to bring more unity to EU relations.

Macron's previously announced state visit from May 26-28, might be followed by another trip to Germany in June, the sources told Reuters on Saturday.

This could signal that Franco-German relations remain strong, despite reports of deep disagreement between the two leaders.

Althoguh both leaders show support for Ukraine against the Russian invasion, his approaches on how to help the country differ, with Germany being more cautious about weapon deliveries or sending troops.

At an EU summit last week, Macron and Scholz said they want to jointly implement an EU capital markets union and reduce bureaucracy in the single market.

Photos You Should See - April 2024

The sources said that a new Franco-German ministerial meeting was planned in Meseberg, north of Berlin, at the end of May, making Macron stay longer than previously planned.

Macron is under pressure domestically because his party does not have a majority in the National Assembly and polls suggest that Eurosceptic far-right and far-left parties could perform strongly in the EU elections in early June.

Both Macron and Scholz therefore want to emphasize a clearly pro-European course.

The French president will be received by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and will give a speech on Europe in Dresden.

In Muenster, he will also receive the city's Peace Prize on May 28.

Macron had originally planned the state visit for July 2023 but had to cancel it at short notice due to riots in French cities.

A meeting within the framework of the so-called Weimar Triangle, consisting of France, Germany and Poland, is being considered for June, coinciding with a UEFA Euro 2024 football match in Dortmund on June 25 between France and Poland, the sources said.

(Reporting by Andreas Rinke, writing by Maria Martinez, editing by Clelia Oziel)

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

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Tags: France , European Union , Europe , Germany

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