French President Emmanuel Macron postpones next week’s planned state visit to Nigeria till 2027, following consultations with President Bola Tinubu amid domestic protests.
French President Emmanuel Macron has postponed his planned state visit to Nigeria, initially scheduled for next week, following consultations with President Bola Tinubu, as protests in France disrupt his diplomatic engagements.
The visit has now been postponed till after the elections in 2027.
The postponement comes amid domestic unrest in France, with the French leader expected to remain focused on developments at home rather than undertake the scheduled trip to Nigeria.
The visit would have provided another opportunity for both leaders to strengthen diplomatic and economic cooperation between Nigeria and France, building on engagements during Tinubu’s presidency.
The visit had been expected on October 28 and 29. It would have marked Macron’s first visit to Nigeria since July 2018, when he met then-President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja and visited the New Afrika Shrine in Lagos.
The postponement comes against the backdrop of widespread demonstrations in France, initially driven by students protesting teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms and inadequate educational facilities.
The protests, which began in September, spread from the Paris region to major cities, including Marseille, Lyon, Nantes and Bordeaux. They coincided with industrial action by public-sector workers opposed to government budget proposals and concerns over living costs.
Tensions escalated during nationwide demonstrations on October 17, some of which were accompanied by clashes and damage to public property.
Macron subsequently convened security meetings and called for measures to prevent further violence, as additional demonstrations were planned for October 24.
French authorities also imposed restrictions on some planned protests, while the government sought dialogue with student representatives, trade unions and other stakeholders.
