Nigerian President Bola Tinubu departed for France on Wednesday for a two-week visit, as top diplomats from three West African nations—Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—prepare for high-level talks in Moscow to strengthen relations with Russia.
The foreign ministers of the three Sahel countries, which are now military-led, are scheduled to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday. Their visit comes amid a deepening rift with the West African regional bloc ECOWAS, which Tinubu currently leads.
Tinubu’s Visit to France
While it remains unclear whether Tinubu’s trip is linked to the Moscow visit by Sahelian officials, the Nigerian presidency has emphasized that the visit will focus on internal governance.
A statement from presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga indicated that Tinubu would use the visit to reflect on his administration’s midterm performance and review key economic and political milestones since taking office in May 2023.
“This period of reflection will inform plans to deepen ongoing reforms and accelerate national development priorities in the coming year,” Onanuga stated.
Regional Tensions and Diplomatic Shifts
Tinubu’s visit comes amid increasing tensions between Nigeria and Niger. Niamey has previously accused Abuja of collaborating with Paris to undermine its government, an allegation the Nigerian administration has denied.
Nigeria’s relationship with France has grown in recent months, particularly following Tinubu’s visit to Paris in November 2023. This alignment has raised concerns among regional observers, as several neighboring countries continue to distance themselves from France in favor of new alliances.
With shifting diplomatic ties in West Africa, Tinubu’s France visit and the Moscow trip by Sahel officials underscore the evolving geopolitical landscape in the region.