Paris, France – President Bola Tinubu on Sunday, January 4, 2026, held a private lunch meeting with President Paul Kagame of Rwanda in Paris, where both leaders discussed strategies to advance Africa’s interests and promote stronger cooperation among African nations.
The Presidency released a photo showing the two leaders seated at an upscale Parisian restaurant, engaged in conversation over a meal.
“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 statement read.
The meeting follows a long-standing cordial relationship between Nigeria and Rwanda, strengthened since Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
Kagame attended Tinubu’s inauguration in Abuja on May 29, 2023, and the two leaders most recently met in Abu Dhabi on January 13, 2025, on the eve of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit, where Tinubu described their discussions as “meaningful conversations.”
Speaking after that engagement, Tinubu stated, “Africa has what it takes to develop itself. We have the resources, the people, and the capacity. We must look inward to improve intra-African trade and collaboration to benefit the African people and the continent.”
“The time for Africa is now. We can. We must. We will.”
The lunch in Paris comes amid Tinubu’s European visit, which began on December 28, 2025. According to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the trip also precedes Tinubu’s participation in the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week Summit, an event that mobilises global leaders from government, business, and society to advance sustainable development.
Nigeria and Rwanda have maintained a strong bilateral relationship since Rwanda’s independence in 1962, supporting each other in international forums such as the United Nations, African Union, and Commonwealth of Nations. Key agreements include the Bilateral Air Service Agreement, allowing multiple RwandAir flights to Abuja and Lagos, and the Technical Aids Corps programme, which has seen Nigerian professionals deployed to Rwanda.
Tinubu’s European visit has drawn criticism from opposition parties, including the African Democratic Congress and Labour Party, for travelling abroad amid Nigeria’s rising security challenges.
Despite this, the Presidency has emphasised that the engagements are part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Africa’s global voice and economic cooperation.
Since taking office on May 29, 2023, Tinubu has made 46 foreign trips, spending an estimated 192 days abroad as of October 2025, focusing on economic diplomacy, climate discussions, regional cooperation, and bilateral engagement.
