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Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu on Monday received his Malagasy counterpart, Michael Randrianirina, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja for bilateral talks.
Randrianirina arrived at the State House at 02:57 p.m. local time and was welcomed by a delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, before proceeding to a closed-door meeting with the Nigerian leader.
The visit is Randrianirina’s first official trip to Nigeria since assuming office in October 2025, following the political transition that ended the administration of former President Andry Rajoelina.
It also marks the first known official visit by a Malagasy head of state to Nigeria, as previous engagements between leaders of both countries largely took place during international and multilateral gatherings.
The meeting comes weeks after Tinubu and Randrianirina held discussions on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.
Since taking office, the Malagasy president has focused on diplomatic engagements across Africa, including visits to Gabon.
Although details of the discussions were not immediately disclosed, the talks are expected to focus on areas of mutual interest, including regional security, agricultural cooperation and climate-related challenges, particularly following recent environmental pressures on Madagascar’s southern region.
