French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Nigeria later this year for a State visit, French Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS Marc Fonbaustier announced Tuesday night in Abuja.
The trip comes two years after President Bola Tinubu’s State visit to Paris. Speaking at France’s National Day celebration, Fonbaustier called the upcoming visit a chance for both leaders to review progress on their joint roadmap and set new priorities for cooperation.
“Together, our two Presidents will assess the progress of our roadmap and outline the key elements of our relationship for the years to come,” he said. “These will undoubtedly be ambitious and mutually beneficial for our two peoples.”
Fonbaustier stressed that Nigeria-France ties are built on equality. “The partnership between Nigeria and France is, in reality, not just in words, a partnership between equals,” he said. He added that this means listening, open communication, and joint decision-making without prejudice or interference.
Both countries share goals around economic growth, job creation, and environmental protection, he noted. Recent business deals show deepening ties, including partnerships between Carrefour and HyperCity, Accor and Shoreline, and Canal+’s acquisition of MultiChoice. The envoy also praised Abdul Samad Rabiu’s plan to establish a House of African Worlds in Paris.
On governance, Fonbaustier said Nigeria and France remain committed to democracy, rule of law, free expression, and equal opportunity. The French Embassy continues to back women, youth, and persons with disabilities through empowerment programs.
Agriculture is another area of collaboration. Through the French Development Agency, both nations are working to boost food security and strengthen agricultural value chains in northern Nigeria and across ECOWAS. Projects focus on market access in remote areas.
Security cooperation was also highlighted. “Our two countries have repeatedly demonstrated this, through their unfailing and resolute commitment to the global fight against terrorism,” Fonbaustier said. He added that Nigeria and France are helping other nations build capacity to counter terrorism.
The ambassador linked the bilateral relationship to broader Europe-Africa ties, saying both continents are working for stability and global cooperation. He revealed that Macron’s Africa vision was shaped by his six-month stay in Nigeria as a student 24 years ago.
“The new relationship between Africa and France was, in some way, born in Nigeria or ‘Made in Nigeria’,” Fonbaustier said. “He himself admits that this foundational experience inspired the broad outlines of his vision for the continent and his African diplomacy.”