Tinubu, Ruto meet in Nairobi as Africa-France Summit begins

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday met with Kenyan President William Ruto in Nairobi during the ongoing Africa Forward/France Summit, as African leaders intensify discussions on economic reforms, investment and new partnerships with Europe.

Images shared by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga showed Tinubu and Ruto exchanging greetings shortly after the Nigerian leader arrived at the summit venue in the Kenyan capital.

The summit, co-hosted by France and Kenya, has brought together more than 30 African heads of state, global investors, financial institutions and development partners to discuss issues ranging from climate financing and energy transition to digital transformation and industrial growth.

Tinubu arrived in Nairobi on Monday as part of a broader three-nation diplomatic tour covering France, Kenya and Rwanda. The Nigerian leader is expected to participate in high-level sessions and bilateral meetings focused on trade, infrastructure financing and economic cooperation.

The Africa Forward Summit marks a major diplomatic shift for France, as it is the first time the long-running France-Africa summit is being hosted in an English-speaking African country rather than France’s traditional Francophone allies in West and Central Africa.

French President Emmanuel Macron is using the summit to push for a reset in France’s relationship with Africa amid declining French influence across several former colonies following coups and rising anti-French sentiment in countries such as Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.

During discussions in Nairobi, African leaders called for reforms to the global financial system, arguing that African nations continue to face unfair borrowing costs and investment barriers due to outdated international risk assessment models.

Ruto, who has increasingly positioned Kenya as a major diplomatic and economic hub in Africa, urged global powers to build partnerships based on equality, investment and mutual respect rather than dependency.

Macron announced investment commitments worth about €23 billion targeted at energy, agriculture, technology and industrial development projects across Africa.

Tinubu’s participation in the summit comes as Nigeria seeks greater foreign investment and international partnerships to support ongoing economic reforms, including infrastructure development, energy transition and industrial expansion.

Presidential officials said the Nigerian leader would also hold strategic meetings with business executives and global investors during the trip.

After the Nairobi summit, Tinubu is expected to travel to Kigali, Rwanda, for the Africa CEO Forum, where discussions will centre on regional integration, private sector growth and cross-border investments across the continent.