The France-Nigeria Business Forum set for next Thursday has been postponed. This is after French President Emmanuel Macron cancelled his trip to Nigeria.
The France-Nigeria Business Council sent an email to participants on Saturday morning, announcing the postponement.
The email, which PREMIUM TIMES saw, stated that the forum is now pushed to next year. This change comes along with Mr Macron’s state visit, but there is no new date yet. The council mentioned that “a revised date and arrangement will be communicated” later.
“We regret to inform you that, following a joint decision by the Presidents of Nigeria and France to postpone the State Visit of H.E. Emmanuel Macron to Nigeria, the France-Nigeria Business Forum, scheduled for Thursday, 29 October 2026 in Lagos, has also been postponed.
“The State Visit is now expected to take place in 2027, and we will communicate the revised date and arrangements for the Forum as soon as they are confirmed,” the email read.
Mr Macron’s trip was a key part of this year’s business forum. The forum aimed to strengthen ties between Nigerian and French businesses.
His visit was also meant to be part of the French Week activities, organized by the Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Earlier, PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Macron and President Bola Tinubu decided to cancel the visit due to concerns over ongoing protests in France. They were also worried about Nigeria’s upcoming presidential election and a new Ebola case.
Sources say Mr Macron was worried that visiting Nigeria during protests in France might appear insensitive.
Mr Tinubu also had concerns that Mr Macron’s visit, just three months before Nigeria’s presidential election, could lead to claims of foreign influence.
There were additional worries about the confirmed Ebola case in Nigeria.
Mr Macron’s visit was meant to return Mr Tinubu’s three-day state visit to France in 2024. That visit focused on “strengthening political, economic, and cultural relations.”
In July, the French Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Marc Fonbaustier, said the two leaders “will assess the progress and outline the key elements” of future relations during this visit.
He also mentioned that the visit would give both countries a chance to review their growing partnership and plan for future cooperation.
“These will undoubtedly be ambitious and mutually beneficial for our two peoples,” he said.
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