Macron Hosts Tinubu for Private Dinner at Élysée Palace During Nigerian Leader’s European Leave

French President Emmanuel Macron received President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a private dinner Thursday night at the Élysée Palace

French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a private dinner at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Thursday night, 17 September 2026. The meeting was publicly confirmed the following day by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.

Onanuga shared photographs from the evening and described the engagement as a reflection of the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and France. In his statement, he noted the two countries’ shared commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation. Details of the discussions held during the dinner have not been released by either side.

The private dinner occurred while Tinubu was in the French capital as part of a three-week annual leave that began on 30 August 2026. The Nigerian president first travelled to London before continuing to Paris, where he was received by Nigeria’s Ambassador to France, Ayodele Oke. Presidency statements issued at the start of the leave indicated that Tinubu is expected to return to Abuja at the end of the period and take part in activities leading into the January 2027 general election cycle.

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This latest interaction fits into a pattern of high-level contacts between the two leaders since Tinubu assumed office in 2023. Nigeria and France maintain diplomatic, economic, and security-related engagement, though specific outcomes from Thursday’s dinner were not announced.

Photographs released by Onanuga show the two presidents together at the Élysée Palace. Some images also include France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron. The Nigerian side framed the meeting in terms of continuity and mutual interest rather than any new formal agreements.

As Tinubu completes the final stretch of his European leave, the private dinner serves as a visible marker of ongoing personal and institutional ties between Abuja and Paris. No further official statements on the substance of the talks have been issued as of 18 September 2026.