By: Manoah Kikekon
KIGALI, RWANDA – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu arrived in the Rwandan capital, Kigali, on Wednesday, 13th May 2026, ahead of the prestigious 13th Africa CEO Forum. The President was received with full military honours at the Kigali International Airport, marking a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s ongoing diplomatic and economic outreach across the continent.
President Tinubu was welcomed by a high-powered delegation, including the Rwandan Minister of Defence, Juvenal Marizamunda, and senior Nigerian officials such as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole.
The 2026 forum, co-hosted by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Jeune Afrique Media Group, is themed "Scale or Fail: Why Africa Must Embrace Shared Ownership." This year’s gathering is expected to draw over 2,000 global CEOs, investors, and policymakers to the Kigali Convention Centre to discuss regional integration and the necessity of building "transnational African champions."
In a statement released by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, it was noted that the forum has become the premier platform for private sector leadership on the continent.
“Founded in 2012, the forum has become the largest annual gathering of African private sector leaders, investors, and policymakers, focusing on accelerating economic transformation through shared scale and cross-border investment,” the statement read.
A major highlight of the President’s itinerary is his scheduled keynote address titled “Holding the Line: Nigeria’s Reform Bet in a Fractured World.” This presentation is expected to showcase the gains of Nigeria’s bold economic policies including foreign exchange unification and subsidy reforms positioning the nation as a resilient investment destination.
Beyond the plenary sessions, President Tinubu is set to hold a series of high-level bilateral meetings aimed at fostering strategic partnerships.
“President Tinubu will use the occasion of the summit to reaffirm Nigeria’s commitment to advancing African unity, deepening regional economic cooperation, and fostering strategic partnerships to accelerate private sector-driven sustainable development,” Onanuga added.
The visit to Kigali is part of an intensive diplomatic circuit for the President, who recently concluded engagements at the Africa Forward Summit (formerly Africa–France Summit) in Nairobi, Kenya. His arrival in Rwanda signals Nigeria’s leadership role in shaping the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and driving the "Renewed Hope" agenda onto the global stage.