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

Bashir Ahmad, a former aide to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, has expressed support for President Bola Tinubu regarding the reported cancellation of French President Emmanuel Macron’s planned visit to Nigeria. Ahmad, who shared his thoughts on X, described Tinubu's reported concern over Macron’s visit potentially triggering allegations of foreign interference in Nigeria's electoral process as a wise decision.

This statement appeared on Friday. Ahmad asserted that Tinubu's expressed worry about Macron’s visit, occurring three months prior to Nigeria's presidential election, being perceived as foreign influence, was a correct step.

The report on the Premium Times indicated that Macron had canceled his state visit to Nigeria, originally planned for October 28, due to concerns over protests in France, the approaching Nigerian presidential election, and a recent Ebola case. The newspaper claimed that Nigerian sources familiar with the intended visit stated that Macron and Tinubu agreed to cancel the trip on Thursday.

Macron reportedly feared that visiting Nigeria during ongoing demonstrations in France could be seen as insensitive, as these protests led to school closures, looting, and confrontations between demonstrators and security forces. The reported cancellation of the visit took place months before Nigeria's 2027 presidential election, in which Tinubu is running for re-election.