President Bola Tinubu will soon embark on a diplomatic visit to South Africa following the completion of his ongoing trip to France. This visit marks a significant step in strengthening bilateral relations between Nigeria and South Africa as the two nations continue to enhance cooperation on key political, economic and security issues.
According to a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, the spokesperson for the president, Tinubu is scheduled to leave France on Monday, December 2, 2024, and arrive in Cape Town, South Africa. His visit will focus on co-chairing the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC), alongside South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The highly anticipated BNC session will take place on Tuesday, December 3, at a time when both leaders aim to deepen ties and chart new pathways for cooperation. The session will be preceded by a ministerial meeting on December 2 at the South African Parliament Building in Cape Town, where both countries’ ministers will engage in preliminary discussions on key areas of mutual interest.
During the meetings, Presidents Tinubu and Ramaphosa will hold substantive talks covering a wide array of bilateral, regional, and international matters. The two leaders will also build on the agreements made during their June 20, 2024, meeting in Johannesburg, shortly after Ramaphosa’s inauguration for a second term in office. At that time, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the longstanding partnership between Nigeria and South Africa.
A major highlight of this BNC session will be a review of progress since the 10th session, which was held in Abuja from November 29 to December 1, 2021. Both presidents are expected to assess the implementation of decisions taken during that session, with a focus on enhancing cooperation in areas such as trade, security, energy, and manufacturing.
The 11th BNC will feature detailed discussions across eight working groups, each tackling a specific sector of shared
