French President Emmanuel Macron has postponed his planned state visit to Nigeria following consultations with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as France grapples with domestic unrest and Nigeria prepares for its 2027 general election.
The visit, initially scheduled for October 28 and 29, 2026, is now expected to take place in 2027, although a new date has yet to be announced. French presidential sources confirmed the postponement on Friday, October 23.
The decision comes amid widespread protests and violent disturbances in several French cities. Demonstrations that escalated on October 17 reportedly involved clashes, looting and vandalism, prompting authorities to strengthen security ahead of further protests.
French authorities announced plans to deploy approximately 70,000 police officers nationwide for demonstrations scheduled for Saturday, October 24, amid concerns about renewed violence.
A French presidential source said Macron’s planned visits to Nigeria and Senegal had been deferred. The source distinguished the postponed West African tour, which focused on diplomacy and cooperation, from his recent Gulf visit, which was aimed at securing strategic energy supplies.
Reports by Premium Times also identified Nigeria’s forthcoming presidential election and a recently confirmed Ebola case among the concerns surrounding the visit. However, the French presidential source cited in international reporting did not explicitly identify the protests as the sole reason for the postponement.
The postponement is significant for bilateral relations, as Macron’s visit was expected to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, energy transition, solid minerals, communications and other strategic sectors.
It was also intended to reciprocate Tinubu’s three-day state visit to France in November 2024, during which both presidents discussed expanding political, economic and cultural relations.
Macron’s planned trip would have been his first state visit to Nigeria since July 2018, when he visited Lagos during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari and toured the New Afrika Shrine.
The French president’s visit was also expected to coincide with the 2026 France-Nigeria Business Forum scheduled for October 29 in Lagos. The forum has now been postponed until next year, with organisers saying a revised date and arrangements would be communicated later.
The delay therefore affects not only diplomatic engagements but also planned interactions between French and Nigerian businesses seeking opportunities for investment and commercial partnerships.
Despite the postponement, Nigeria and France maintain diplomatic and economic ties covering trade, security, energy and investment. Both governments are expected to reschedule the visit when circumstances permit, although no revised date has been officially announced.
