President Bola Tinubu arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, on Monday ahead of the high-level Africa-France Summit focused on investment, innovation, climate action and regional development.
Tinubu’s aircraft, Nigeria Air Force 1, landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi at about 12:15 a.m. local time.
The president was welcomed by top Nigerian government officials, including Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele; Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole; Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola; and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
The two-day summit is being jointly hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and Kenyan President William Ruto.
The event is themed, “Africa Forward: Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth.”
Discussions at the summit are expected to centre on energy transition, green industrialisation, digital transformation, climate action and reforms to the global financing system.
Tinubu’s participation is expected to boost Nigeria’s strategic ties with African nations and France while showcasing the administration’s economic reforms aimed at attracting investment and promoting sustainable growth.
The president is also expected to hold separate meetings with African and international business leaders on the sidelines of the summit to seek investments in critical sectors of the Nigerian economy.
Following the Nairobi summit, Tinubu is scheduled to travel to Kigali, Rwanda, for the Africa CEO Forum taking place from May 14 to May 15.
The forum, themed “Scale or Fail,” is expected to bring together more than 2,000 investors, policymakers and business leaders to discuss regional integration and cross-border investments aimed at accelerating economic growth.