French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to a private dinner at the Élysée Palace in Paris, as the two countries reaffirmed their longstanding relationship and commitment to closer cooperation.
The meeting took place on Thursday night, September 17, 2026, and was disclosed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, as well as the Nigerian Presidency on Friday. Photographs from the dinner showed Tinubu and Macron at the French presidential palace.
Tinubu later described the engagement as an opportunity to reinforce relations between the two countries. In a statement shared through his official channels, the Nigerian president said the conversation reaffirmed the strong friendship between Nigeria and France and their shared commitment to expanding cooperation and building a mutually beneficial partnership.
He also thanked Macron for what he described as his warm hospitality and friendship.
The private engagement came while Tinubu was in France during the second phase of his three-week annual leave in Europe. According to reports, the president had travelled to Europe on August 30, initially spending time in London before proceeding to Paris on September 13.
Although the Presidency described the dinner as reflecting the enduring relationship between Nigeria and France, it did not publish a detailed account of the subjects discussed by the two leaders.
The meeting therefore does not, based on the information publicly released so far, represent the announcement of a new bilateral agreement or specific policy deal.
It nevertheless adds to the series of high-level contacts between Tinubu and Macron since Tinubu assumed office in 2023, and comes amid continued economic, diplomatic and security engagement between Nigeria and France.
Nigeria and France have maintained longstanding relations, with cooperation spanning areas including trade, investment, security, education, culture and development. The latest meeting signals the two governments’ stated intention to continue strengthening those ties.