The President of the Republic of Benin, Romuald Wadagni, on Monday, made his first official visit to Nigeria.
Wadagni’s visit was on the invitation of President Bola Tinubu, who received him at his Ikoyi residence in Lagos State.
Lagos State Governor Sanwo-Olu led the Beninese leader from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, to Tinubu’s residence, where both presidents held a closed-door meeting that lasted about 30 minutes.
“On behalf of Mr. President, HE Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I received the President of the Republic of Benin, His Excellency Romuald Wadagni, on his arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos,” Sanwo-Olu wrote in a statement posted on his official Facebook page Monday afternoon.
He said the visit “reflects the strong ties between our neighbouring nations and our shared commitment to deeper regional cooperation.”
Both presidents held discussions covering all dimensions of their strategic partnership: economic and industrial integration; energy cooperation; maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea; as well as the regional situation and preserving the cohesion of the Economic Community of West African States.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga described Wadagni’s Lagos trip as a “private visit” but noted the significance of the early outreach.
A video shared by Onanuga showed Wadagni being escorted by Sanwo-Olu to meet Tinubu.
READ ALSO: Benin President In Niger, A First Since Coup Sparked Tensions
Tinubu had earlier congratulated Wadagni in a personal letter, stating that Nigeria and Benin “share a long history of friendship, cultural ties, and cooperation”.
“I… look forward to working closely with your administration to further strengthen our bilateral relations, enhance regional security, and promote economic prosperity within the ECOWAS sub-region and the African Union,” Tinubu wrote in the letter.
President Wadagni’s stop in Lagos marked his first bilateral engagement with Nigeria since he was sworn in on May 24, 2026, after winning Benin’s April 12 presidential election.
The former finance minister succeeded ex-President Patrice Talon.
Vice President Kashim Shettima represented President Tinubu at Wadagni’s inauguration
As the first bilateral visit by the President of the Republic since his inauguration on May 24, 2026, the Benin Government said the trip demonstrates the priority status that Benin intends to give to its strategic partnership with Nigeria in the conduct of foreign policy during this new presidential term.
Benin and Nigeria maintain one of the closest and most structurally impactful bilateral relationships in West Africa. Bound by an 809-kilometre shared border and a centuries-old history predating colonial borders, both countries share populations whose commercial, familial, and cultural exchanges have never ceased.
Official diplomatic relations between the two nations, established on September 12, 1961, enshrine this long-standing brotherhood.
On the economic front, Nigeria is Benin’s primary trading partner. The Autonomous Port of Cotonou serves as an essential gateway for Nigerian trade bound for landlocked countries in the sub-region. The Glo-Djigbé Industrial Zone (GDIZ), which created over 14,000 jobs in 2025, is attracting growing interest from Nigerian investors.
Benin’s formal exports to Nigeria increased by over 90% in 2024. The Sèmè-Kraké Joint Border Control Post, the West African Gas Pipeline, and the Benin-Nigeria Business Forum held in January 2026 all illustrate the depth of this bilateral integration.
Mending Fences
The West African country’s new leader also visited Niger on Tuesday, the first such presidential trip to Niamey since a 2023 coup, in a sign of easing tensions between the neighbours.
Niger’s military leaders, who broke off ties with traditional ally France, closed the border with Benin after accusing the country of harbouring “French bases” bent on destabilising Niger.
Junta chief Abdourahamane Tiani greeted Benin President Romuald Wadagni, who came to power on May 24, Tele Sahel showed in its live coverage.
The two leaders were expected to discuss relaunching security cooperation between the countries, which are both battling jihadist violence.
