The visit sets up talks at the Franco-Nigerian Business Council. However, tensions rise as Niger's military junta recently banned the French aid group ACTED from operating in the country.

According to AFP, for the first time in 24 years, a Nigerian President began a state visit to France on Thursday, aiming to strengthen economic ties and attract foreign investments. This visit is highly significant for Nigeria’s leadership, as it marks the first time in two decades that a sitting Nigerian president has visited the iconic Champs-Élysées.

During the visit, President Bola Tinubu held discussions at the Elysée Palace to enhance Nigeria’s position as a leading trade partner for France. In his remarks, Tinubu emphasized the country's progress in stabilizing its security system, saying, "We have been working on stabilizing the security system in Nigeria, and we are getting closer and closer. We are doing better now in the area of security. I assure all the investors here that Nigeria is open for business, and I thank you for your collaboration."

French President Emmanuel Macron is seeking to expand his country’s strategic partnerships beyond its traditional sphere of influence, particularly in light of a series of coups and political changes that have seen several African nations, including Mali and Niger, distancing themselves from their former colonial ruler. Macron is determined to strengthen France’s economic connections with Africa, and the state visit sets the stage for the two leaders to meet at the "Franco-Nigerian Business Council" forum.

Macron stated, "To us, economic partnerships place France as a partner in the long run to work, with you, on your country's food security, the extraction and value maximization of the critical ore your country has, and as a partner with our industries, in your defense and security strategy - that's three priorities we want to commit to."

However, ties between France and some African nations are beginning to show strain. In mid-November, Niger’s military junta issued a decree banning the French aid group Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development (ACTED) from operating in the country. The Ministry of the Interior revoked the organization’s operating license, though no specific reasons for the decision were provided.