French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed President Bola Tinubu for a private dinner at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Thursday evening, which Nigerian presidential aides characterized as a reaffirmation of the enduring relationship between Nigeria and France.

Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, revealed the meeting in a post on X on Friday, sharing images of Tinubu, Macron, and France's First Lady, Brigitte Macron, at the palace.

In a separate message attributed to Tinubu, the president remarked that the discussion “reaffirmed the strong friendship between Nigeria and France, along with our mutual commitment to enhancing cooperation and establishing a mutually beneficial partnership between our two nations,” and expressed gratitude to Macron for his graciousness.

The dinner occurred while Tinubu is on a three-week annual leave in Europe. He left Abuja on August 30 for London, the first leg of his trip, before reaching Paris on September 13 for the second part, where he was greeted by Nigeria’s Ambassador to France, Ayodele Oke.

The Presidency has indicated that Tinubu will return to Nigeria after his vacation ends.

The specifics of what the two leaders talked about during the private dinner were not disclosed.

This engagement represents the latest in a series of interactions between Tinubu and Macron since Tinubu assumed office in 2023, including a private working lunch in Paris in September 2025, and occurs amid ongoing diplomatic and economic relations between Abuja and Paris, covering topics such as French investment in Nigeria and collaboration on regional security.