LAGOS, Nigeria — President Bola Tinubu arrived in Lagos on Friday evening following an intense three-nation diplomatic tour that took him to France, Kenya, and Rwanda to court international investors.
The President’s aircraft touched down at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport at approximately 19:12 local time. In an official statement confirming the arrival, Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, noted that Mr. Tinubu was received on the tarmac by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other senior government officials.
The return marks the conclusion of a week-long push by the Nigerian leader to defend his administration’s economic policies on the global stage.
Pitching Reforms in Paris and Nairobi
The first leg of the trip saw President Tinubu in France, where he met with international financiers to pitch Nigeria’s newly liberalised foreign exchange market and the removal of its costly fuel subsidy. He argued that the “bold reforms” were essential for long-term fiscal discipline.
He then traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, for the Africa Forward Summit, co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and Kenyan President William Ruto.
At the summit, Mr. Tinubu called for a complete overhaul of the global financial architecture and pledged Nigeria’s maritime intelligence infrastructure to help neighbouring countries in the Gulf of Guinea, highlighting the “blue economy” as a critical driver for regional growth.
Securing Deals in Kigali
The final leg of the tour took the President to Kigali, Rwanda, for the Africa CEO Forum, where he joined host President Paul Kagame and various multinational delegations.
The presidency reported several “favourable outcomes” from these side meetings, which included talks with:
- The International Finance Corporation (IFC) regarding scalable infrastructure funding.
- APM Terminals to discuss seaport modernization following a recent multi-million-pound logistics deal.
- The Winme Group is to explore further cross-border investments.
Home for Crucial Party Primaries
President Tinubu’s return to his political home base of Lagos comes at a critical internal moment for his administration.
Beginning on Saturday, the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) will commence its primary elections across the country. The process is expected to test party cohesion ahead of future electoral cycles.
Before his plane landed, the president issued a statement to party faithful, urging candidates and supporters to “keep the peace” and approach the internal polls with a spirit of sportsmanship.
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