President Bola Tinubu on Sunday held a private lunch meeting with Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Paris, where both leaders exchanged views on global developments and strategies to advance Africa’s collective interests.
The meeting was disclosed by the Presidency through a photo release showing the two presidents engaged in discussion over a meal at what appeared to be a high-end Paris restaurant.
“President Bola Tinubu at a private lunch in Paris with the President of the Republic of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, discussing world affairs and advancing Africa. Sunday, January 4, 2026,” the caption read.
Context of the meeting
The engagement comes one week after President Tinubu left Lagos on December 28, 2025, at the start of his end-of-year vacation in Europe. While the Presidency did not outline his full itinerary, Tinubu has traditionally spent portions of his annual leave in France and the United Kingdom.
According to his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President’s trip also precedes an official engagement at the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit, scheduled for early January 2026.
Tinubu was invited to the summit by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The annual event brings together global leaders from government, business, and civil society to discuss pathways for sustainable development, climate action, and economic transition.
Growing Nigeria–Rwanda ties
Sunday’s meeting reflects the close working relationship that has developed between Tinubu and Kagame since the Nigerian president assumed office in May 2023.
• Kagame attended Tinubu’s inauguration in Abuja on May 29, 2023
• Both leaders met again in Abu Dhabi on January 13, 2025, ahead of that year’s Sustainability Week
Following their 2025 meeting, Tinubu described their discussions as “meaningful conversations” and reiterated his belief in Africa’s potential.
“Africa has what it takes to develop itself. We have the resources, the people, and the capacity,” Tinubu said at the time, calling for stronger intra-African trade and collaboration.
Longstanding bilateral relations
Nigeria and Rwanda have maintained cordial diplomatic relations since Rwanda’s independence in 1962, cooperating in bilateral and multilateral platforms such as the African Union, United Nations, and Commonwealth of Nations.
Key areas of cooperation include:
• A Bilateral Air Service Agreement, enabling multiple weekly RwandAir flights to Abuja and Lagos
• The Technical Aids Corps (TAC) scheme, under which Nigerian professionals have served in Rwanda
Domestic criticism and travel record
Tinubu’s European trip has attracted criticism from opposition parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Labour Party, which questioned the timing of the visit amid rising insecurity in parts of Nigeria, including concerns over foreign military activities in the North.
Data compiled by PUNCH Online indicate that:
• Tinubu undertook 10 foreign trips in 2025, spanning Africa, Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, and South America
• His travels have largely focused on economic diplomacy, climate policy, regional cooperation, and bilateral relations
• Since assuming office on May 29, 2023, he has made at least 46 foreign trips, spending an estimated 192 days outside Nigeria as of October 2025
Despite the criticism, the Presidency maintains that Tinubu’s engagements abroad are aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s global standing and advancing Africa’s development agenda.
Source: Africa Publicity
