France-Nigeria business forum postponed after Macron cancels trip to Nigeria

The 2026 France-Nigeria Business Forum, scheduled for next Thursday, has been postponed after French President Emmanuel Macron cancelled his visit to Nigeria.

The France-Nigeria Business Council sent an email notifying participants of the postponement on Saturday morning.

The email, seen by PREMIUM TIMES, said the programme was postponed until next year, along with Mr Macron’s state visit.

But it did not specify a new date. The council noted instead that “a revised date and arrangement will be communicated” at a later time.

“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 visit was central to this year’s business forum, which sought to strengthen partnership between Nigerian and French businesses.

His visit was also expected to be part of the year’s French Week activities, organised by the Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported exclusively that Mr Macron and President Bola Tinubu agreed to cancel the visit over concerns about the ongoing protests in France, Nigeria’s upcoming presidential election, and the new Ebola case.

This paper gathered that Mr Macron feared that a trip to Nigeria amid the ongoing demonstrations across France could be seen as insensitive and irresponsible.

Mr Tinubu also reportedly expressed concern that Mr Macron’s visit, about three months before the Nigerian presidential election, could invite accusations of foreign influence.

There were also concerns about the recently confirmed Ebola case in the country.

Mr Macron’s visit was supposed to reciprocate Mr Tinubu’s three-day state visit to France in 2024, which focused on “strengthening political, economic, and cultural relations.”

In July, French Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Marc Fonbaustier, had said the two leaders “will assess the progress and outline the key elements” of future relations during his visit.

He also noted that the visit would allow both countries to review their growing strategic partnership and chart a new course for future cooperation.

“These will undoubtedly be ambitious and mutually beneficial for our two peoples,” he said.