Tinubu heads to France for a fortnight in what officials are describing as a private visit

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has departed for the French capital Paris today in what presidency officials are describing as a private visit pointing out that he will return to Nigeria during the first week of February.

This is the third time President Tinubu will travel to France since assuming office in May last year but it is not surprising given that he has a private residence in Paris. Even before being sworn-in, President Tinubu travelled to Paris after being elected to recuperate and to consult with his advisers in private.

Presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale, said: “He will return to the country in the first week of February 2024.” He did not give any details on the exact nature of the visit or indicate if it would involve any official functions or not.

On June 20, 2023, three weeks after assuming office, President Tinubu opened his foreign schedule in Paris, the French capital. Back then, during his four-day stay, he participated in the Paris Summit for the New Global Financial Pact, in what was his first official international conference

That Paris summit was organised 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 the after-effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. At the summit, Nigeria re-affirmed her commitment to clean energy and to reducing the global carbon footprint.

In September 2023, President Tinubu then spent nine days with world leaders in New York at the 78th United Nations General Assembly, which began on September 19. Afterwards, he proceeded to Paris, France, where he remained for five days, returning to Abuja on September 29 ahead of Nigeria’s 63rd independence day celebrations on October 1.