Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State says President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to France is a significant step toward strengthening bilateral relations and opening new opportunities for subnational governments.

Mbah, who is on the Nigerian delegation, spoke with State House correspondents on the sidelines of the visit in Paris.

The governor emphasised the importance of such high-level engagements in driving growth and development at both national and state levels.

“This visit demonstrates the strong relationship between Nigeria and France.

“It’s not just about diplomacy; it’s also about creating opportunities for states like ours to explore trade, investment, and development partnerships,” he said.

He highlighted ongoing collaborations with France’s development finance institution, Agence Française de Développement (AFD), which he said, was already partnering with the state to expand Enugu’s urban water scheme.

He said that the visit provided a platform to consolidate existing deals and explore additional areas of cooperation such as agriculture.

“For us in Enugu, this is beyond an exploratory mission. It is an opportunity to strengthen and build on partnerships that can directly impact our people through enhanced infrastructure and economic growth,” he stated.

He described the state visit to France as “remarkable and consequential,” emphasising its significance as the first of such visits in 24 years.

“This visit demonstrates the strong bilateral relationship between France and Nigeria.

“State visits like this further strengthen and build on such relationships, offering opportunities for both nations to explore new trade and investment prospects,” Mbah said.