President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday welcomed his Chadian counterpart, Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, to the State House in Abuja during an official visit.
Déby arrived at the Presidential Villa around 2 p.m., marking his first trip to Nigeria since Tinubu attended his inauguration in N’Djamena on May 23, 2024.
The 42-year-old leader rose to power following the death of his father, Idriss Déby Itno, who was killed by rebels in April 2021 while leading troops. He was subsequently appointed head of a Transitional Military Council, initially pledging to restore civilian rule within 18 months. The transition was later extended, and Déby was sworn in as transitional president in October 2022 before winning the country’s presidential election in May 2024.
Thursday’s meeting comes just a week after Tinubu hosted Terrance Drew, making Déby the second foreign leader received by the Nigerian president within a short period.
While official details of their discussions were not immediately disclosed, sources within the Presidency indicated that talks would centre on regional security, particularly efforts to combat terrorism in the Lake Chad Basin.
The region—shared by Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon—continues to face persistent threats from insurgent groups, including Boko Haram and Islamic State-linked factions. Chad remains a key ally in Nigeria’s counter-terrorism operations in the area.
The visit also comes at a time of shifting geopolitical dynamics in the Sahel, following Chad’s withdrawal from military cooperation agreements with France in November 2024, as well as the exit of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from regional blocs such as G5 Sahel and ECOWAS.
Tinubu and Déby have maintained close diplomatic ties. The Nigerian leader attended Déby’s inauguration in 2024, while the Chadian president previously visited Nigeria in July 2023 at Tinubu’s invitation—then as ECOWAS chairman—to help address the political crisis in Niger after the coup that removed President Mohamed Bazoum.
In January 2026, Déby was awarded the African Peace Prize for his role in managing Chad’s political transition and supporting Sudanese refugees. He was also elevated to the rank of Marshal, the country’s highest military honour, in December 2024—becoming only the second person to receive the title after his father.
Nigeria and Chad share longstanding ties, including cross-border trade and joint security concerns. The Lake Chad Basin has remained a major flashpoint for over a decade due to ongoing insurgency.
As of press time, discussions between both leaders were still ongoing.
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