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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has altered his itinerary by leaving France for London as against returning to Nigeria as earlier anticipated.
According to a statement issued by the President's Special Adviser Special Duties, Communications & Strategy, Dele Alake, on Saturday, June 23, 2023, Tinubu embarked on a private trip to the United Kingdom's capital after concluding his official trip to Paris, France on Friday.
The President left Nigeria for the French capital on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, to join other world leaders in participating in a summit for 'A New Global Financing Pact' hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.
Besides his participation in the summit, Tinubu also held a series of high-profile sideline meetings with fellow heads of state and government, global business leaders and chief executives of leading multilateral and development finance institutions from around the world.
He also held a meeting with some Nigerians living in France at his first Diaspora engagement on Friday.
Meanwhile, rather than returning to Nigeria on Saturday as scheduled, the President has taken a detour to London to take care of some personal business.
Alake, however, said Tinubu would be back in the country in time for the upcoming Sallah celebration.
The statement partly read: "President Bola Tinubu on Friday concluded his official trip to Paris, France, during which he had an outstanding participation in a summit for 'A New Global Financing Pact' hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron.
"Aside participating in the summit where he represented Nigeria well, President Tinubu also held high-profile sideline meetings with fellow heads of state and government, global business leaders and chief executives of leading multilateral and development finance institutions from around the world.
"The summit afforded the President the opportunity of projecting, on a global stage, his advocacy for widening the fiscal space, economic justice for Africa as the world accelerates the pace of energy transition, and the urgency of addressing the pressing issues of poverty and climate change.
"President Tinubu, who was initially scheduled to be back in Abuja on Saturday, will now proceed to London, United Kingdom, for a short private visit.
"The President will be back in the country in time for the upcoming Eid-el-Kabir festival."