On November 28 and 29, the Nigerian president will be on an official visit to France. As the West African press notes, like Mali News, this visit risks marking “a turning point in relations between the two countries”, and it takes place following a “French invitation”, noted Punch Nigeria. This is the first visit of this type by a Nigerian leader in twenty-four years; the last state visit by a Nigerian leader to France was that of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in February 2000, notes for its part, the Nigerian daily Premium Times.
At the same time, Jean-Noël Barrot has been traveling to Chad since November 27 before a visit to Ethiopia. Travel and official meetings whose concomitance seems to indicate a French desire to resume language with West Africa.
According to Punch Nigeria, discussions will focus on key areas such as agriculture, security, education, health, youth empowerment, innovation and energy transition. “Nigeria, the leading economic power in Africa, and France, a historic power, have many and varied common interests,” comments for his part on the Malian title.
In February 2024, Nigeria took over the rotating presidency of ECOWAS, the West African organization which was called upon to comment on the various political upheavals experienced by the countries of the sub-region. Furthermore, there are no colonial liabilities between the two countries, while France is accused, by its former West African colonies, of having maintained remnants of colonialism in its relations with them.
Trade, security and defense
Historically, recalls Premium Times, France has been a major buyer of raw materials from Nigeria, representing 20% of France's trade with sub-Saharan Africa, for an amount of 3.53 billion euros, in 2021. In the first quarter of 2024, the France is even becoming
