President Bola Tinubu on Thursday received the President of the Republic of Chad, Marshal Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, at the State House, Abuja.
Déby arrived at the Presidential Villa at about 2 p.m., marking his first official visit to Nigeria since Tinubu attended his inauguration in N’Djamena, Chad’s capital, on May 23, 2024.
The Chadian leader, 42, rose to power following the death of his father, former President Idriss Déby Itno, who was killed by rebels on April 20, 2021, while leading troops on the frontline during the Northern Chad offensive.
Following his father’s death, Mahamat Déby was immediately announced as head of a Transitional Military Council and pledged to return the country to civilian rule within 18 months.
However, the transition period was later extended, and he was sworn in as transitional president in October 2022 before going on to win Chad’s presidential election in May 2024.
Thursday’s meeting came just days after President Tinubu hosted Prime Minister Terrance Drew of St. Kitts and Nevis on March 26, 2026, making Déby the second foreign leader received by the Nigerian president within one week.
Although official details of the closed-door meeting were not immediately disclosed, discussions are expected to focus on regional security and diplomatic cooperation, particularly in relation to the Lake Chad Basin.
The region, shared by Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon, has remained a major security flashpoint due to the activities of Boko Haram and Islamic State-affiliated insurgent groups.
Chad has remained one of Nigeria’s key regional allies in the ongoing fight against terrorism in the Lake Chad area.
The meeting also comes at a time of shifting regional security dynamics in the Sahel and Central Africa.
In November 2024, Chad moved to redefine its military and foreign policy posture following its withdrawal from military agreements with France, while countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger also exited key regional blocs and security frameworks.
Tinubu and Déby have previously engaged on regional matters.
In July 2023, Déby visited Nigeria at the invitation of Tinubu, who was then Chairman of ECOWAS, as part of efforts to address the political crisis in Niger Republic following the military coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.
Earlier this year, in January 2026, Déby was awarded the 2026 African Peace Prize for his role in overseeing Chad’s political transition and supporting refugees fleeing the conflict in neighbouring Sudan.
In December 2024, Chad’s National Transitional Council elevated him to the rank of Marshal, the country’s highest military title, making him only the second person to hold the honour after his father.
Nigeria and Chad maintain long-standing historical, cultural, economic, and security ties, particularly through cross-border trade and joint efforts to address insecurity in the Lake Chad region.
As of the time this report was filed, the meeting between both leaders was still ongoing.
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