The engagement is Tinubu’s latest stop on his three-week European leave, after opening the trip in London.
French President Emmanuel Macron received President Bola Tinubu for a private dinner on Thursday night at the Élysée Palace in Paris, with France’s First Lady Brigitte Macron also in attendance.
The dinner was first disclosed on Friday by Dada Olusegun, Special Assistant to the President on social media, in a post on X.
“French President @EmmanuelMacron hosted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a private dinner last night at the Élysée Palace,” he wrote, sharing photographs from the engagement.
What officials said about Tinubu and Macron‘s meeting
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said the meeting reflected the enduring relationship between Nigeria and France and their shared commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation.
“French President Emmanuel Macron received President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a private dinner Thursday night at the Élysée Palace, reflecting the enduring relationship between Nigeria and France and their shared commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation,” Onanuga said.
Neither the Élysée Palace nor the Nigerian presidency released an official readout detailing the specific issues discussed.
The private, informal setting, away from the formality of official state functions, gave the two leaders room for a candid conversation, with observers noting such gatherings have often preceded more substantive bilateral engagements between the two countries in areas including trade, investment, security and development cooperation.
Part of Tinubu’s three-week European leave
Tinubu departed Abuja on Sunday, 30 August, for a three-week annual leave in Europe, beginning in London before proceeding to Paris. He was received in France by Emmanuel Ayodele Oke, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the country.
Thursday’s dinner is the latest in a series of private engagements Tinubu has held with Macron at the Élysée Palace since taking office in May 2023, following a similar working lunch during his September 2025 leave.
Nigeria and France have maintained diplomatic relations for decades, with France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs noting that political relations between the two countries have developed considerably since 2014, spanning trade, investment, security, education and cultural cooperation.
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