French President Emmanuel Macron says France will deepen its security partnership with Nigeria following a discussion with President Bola Tinubu on the country’s escalating security challenges.
In a statement posted on X, Macron said he spoke with Tinubu and expressed France’s solidarity “in the face of the various security challenges, particularly the terrorist threat in the North.”
The French president said France would increase its cooperation with Nigerian authorities and expand support for populations affected by insecurity. He added that the decision followed a direct request from Tinubu.
“At his request, we will strengthen our partnership with the authorities and our support for the affected populations,” Macron wrote.
He also urged other international partners to increase their engagement, warning that broader global action is needed to confront the region’s worsening security situation. “No one can remain a spectator,” he said.
Nigeria has faced intensifying violence across several regions, including jihadist attacks in the northeast, banditry and kidnappings in the northwest, and separatist violence in the southeast.
The Tinubu administration has repeatedly called for greater international collaboration to tackle the threats.
Neither the Nigerian presidency nor the French government has disclosed specific details of the expanded partnership, but France has previously supported counterterrorism efforts in West Africa through training, intelligence sharing and humanitarian assistance.
Macron’s comments come as West African nations continue to struggle with heightened extremist activity following the withdrawal of French forces from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, where military juntas cut security ties with Paris.
