Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Kigali, Rwanda, for the Africa CEO Forum, the final stop on his three‑nation tour which began nearly two weeks ago in Paris, France. Tinubu landed in Kigali from Nairobi, Kenya, where he had attended the Africa Forward Summit, and immediately held talks with Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame ahead of the high‑level business and policy gathering. The Africa CEO Forum is a flagship event that brings together African business leaders, investors, policymakers, and heads of state to discuss trade, investment, and economic integration across the continent.
A key member of the presidential delegation, Minister of Trade and Investment Jumoke Oduwole, disclosed that the discussions between President Tinubu and President Kagame focused on strengthening economic ties and expanding intra‑African trade under the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Oduwole stated that Nigeria is actively pushing to reduce trade barriers and support businesses seeking to expand across the continent. She pointed to growing Nigerian investment in sectors such as banking and manufacturing as evidence of the country’s increasing role in cross‑border investment.
The Africa CEO Forum is expected to provide a platform for Nigerian companies to showcase their capabilities and explore partnerships with their East African counterparts. According to Oduwole, Nigerian firms are playing an increasingly significant role in regional value chains, and the Kigali forum offers an opportunity to deepen those connections. She also noted that President Tinubu’s participation in the forum underscores Nigeria’s commitment to economic diversification and continental integration.
The president’s three‑nation tour began in France, where he held meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and addressed a business summit on investment opportunities in Nigeria. From Paris, Tinubu traveled to Nairobi for the Africa Forward Summit, where he delivered a keynote address on the need for African nations to leverage technology and innovation for sustainable development. The Kigali leg of the tour will see Tinubu participate in panel discussions and bilateral meetings with other African leaders attending the forum.
President Kagame, who has championed Rwanda’s transformation into a business‑friendly hub, welcomed Tinubu’s focus on trade and economic cooperation. The two leaders also discussed areas of mutual interest, including visa facilitation for business travellers and the harmonisation of trade regulations. A joint communique is expected at the conclusion of Tinubu’s visit.
As the Africa CEO Forum gets underway, all eyes are on Kigali to see whether the renewed political will translates into concrete trade agreements and investment flows between Nigeria and Rwanda, and by extension between West and East Africa. For President Tinubu, the trip is not merely ceremonial; it is a diplomatic and economic push to reposition Nigeria as a driver of continental trade under the AfCFTA.
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