By Abiola Olawale
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to depart Nigeria for France on Wednesday.
A statement issued by the spokesperson to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga revealed that Tinubu would leave Abuja later in the day for Paris, where he is expected to engage in a two-week working visit said to be aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and addressing key national development issues.
According to the statement, during the visit, Tinubu will appraise his administration’s mid-term performance and assess key milestones.
Onanuga said the president will also use the retreat to review the progress of ongoing reforms and engage in strategic planning ahead of his administration’s second anniversary.
The statement reads in part: “This period of reflection will inform plans to deepen ongoing reforms and accelerate national development priorities in the coming year.
“While away, President Tinubu will remain fully engaged with his team and continue to oversee governance activities.
“He will return to Nigeria in about a fortnight.”
The President’s trip follows multiple prior visits to France, including a state visit in November 2024, where Tinubu met with French President Emmanuel Macron to bolster economic cooperation between the two countries, according to the presidency.
It would be recalled also that in February 2025, Tinubu departed Abuja for Paris, France, on a private visit en route to Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital.