French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Remi Tinubu to France on Thursday in a grand ceremony at the Foyer of the National des Invalides, a historic military museum.

As part of the state visit, President Tinubu inspected a guard of honour, marking the significance of the occasion. Sharing his sentiments on social media, Tinubu expressed gratitude for the warm reception. “I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to my friend, President Macron @EmmanuelMacron, for the gracious welcome this splendid morning at the start of my state visit to France,” he wrote on his X handle.

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Tinubu also highlighted the longstanding partnership between Nigeria and France. “Nigeria and France have a rich history of collaboration across various sectors. I am eager to engage in our bilateral discussions and explore new avenues for partnership that can benefit both nations.”