Macron in Nigeria to talk security, boost culture
LAGOS: French President Emmanuel Macron met with his Nigerian counterpart Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja before taking off his jacket and tie in Lagos to celebrate African culture.
Macron’s high-voltage visit to the Shrine — Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti’s music venue — was part of his latest attempt to forge closer ties with English-speaking Africa.
“I’m very happy to be here with you tonight,” said Macron, addressing the cheering and whistling crowd in English.
Macron’s jet touched down in Abuja from Mauritania, where he attended the final day of an African Union summit dominated by security issues in the restive Sahel region.
He was met on the tarmac by Nigeria’s foreign minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, before the presidential convoy left for Buhari’s Aso Rock residence on the edge of the capital.
The 40-year-old former investment banker, who speaks fluent English, spent six months as an intern at the French embassy in the city in the early 2000s.
He told reporters travelling with him: “I like Nigeria a lot. It’s an appealing country. I’ve got a lot of memories ... that haven’t left me.”
Since coming to power he has made a point of boosting ties with France’s former colonies but also improving trade with anglophone countries.
He visited Ghana last year and Nigeria — Africa’s economic powerhouse and the continent’s leading oil producer — was the next logical step.
Nigeria produces nearly two million barrels of crude oil per day and is a key economic partner for France. — AFP