Trending 
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has departed Paris, France, for Nigeria, bringing his extended working vacation in Europe to an end after about a month outside the country.
Tinubu left Nigeria on August 30, 2026, initially travelling to London for what the Presidency described as a working vacation. After spending about a week in the United Kingdom, he proceeded to Paris.
While in France, the President held engagements including a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and talks with businessman Vincent Bolloré, whose business interests include Canal+, MultiChoice and Universal Music Group.
The Presidency had originally announced that Tinubu’s vacation would last three weeks. On September 21, however, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga announced that the President had extended the trip by a few days and would return during the following weekend.
His continued stay abroad subsequently generated political debate. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar questioned the constitutional arrangements governing presidential authority during the extended absence, while the Presidency maintained that Tinubu remained in contact with officials and continued directing government affairs.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima represented the President at several official engagements during the period and also led Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Tinubu’s departure from Paris on Tuesday, September 29, therefore ends an overseas stay that began exactly 30 days earlier.
The President is expected back as Nigeria prepares to mark its 66th Independence Anniversary on October 1. Reports ahead of his departure indicated that he was expected to return through Lagos and remain there for Independence Day activities.
Attention will now shift to Tinubu’s return to official engagements at home and the government’s programme for Nigeria’s Independence anniversary.
