President Bola Ahmed Tinubu arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, in the early hours of Monday to participate in the highly anticipated Africa Forward Summit aimed at advancing economic transformation and regional cooperation across the continent.

Tinubu’s aircraft touched down at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at approximately 12:18 a.m. local time.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga.

According to the statement, the President was received on arrival by Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi; the Kenyan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Isaac Parashina; senior Kenyan government officials; and members of Nigeria’s diplomatic mission in Kenya.

The Africa Forward Summit, also referred to as the Africa/France Summit, is being co-hosted by Kenyan President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron.

The summit is expected to bring together African Heads of State, policymakers, business leaders, development partners, and other stakeholders to discuss strategies for economic growth, infrastructure development, climate resilience, digital innovation, trade expansion, and sustainable development across the continent.

Onanuga said Tinubu’s participation underscores Nigeria’s commitment to promoting African unity, strengthening regional economic cooperation, and fostering strategic partnerships capable of accelerating development on the continent.
During the summit, the Nigerian leader is expected to hold high-level bilateral and multilateral engagements with other African leaders and global stakeholders as part of efforts to deepen Nigeria’s diplomatic and economic relations with other nations.

The presidency noted that Tinubu would also use the platform to reaffirm Nigeria’s leadership role in shaping Africa’s future and advancing Africa-driven solutions to continental challenges in line with his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The President is accompanied on the trip by several cabinet members and senior government officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu; Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari; Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola; Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole; and Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani.

Others in the delegation are the Minister of State-designate for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye; Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC); Director-General of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC), Mrs Omotenioye Majekodunmi; and Nigeria’s Ambassador to France, Ambassador Ayodele Oke.