President Bola Tinubu welcomed the President of Chad, Marshal Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, to the State House in Abuja on Thursday around 2 p.m., marking Déby’s first official visit to Nigeria since Tinubu attended his inauguration in N’Djamena on May 23, 2024.
Déby, 42, assumed leadership of Chad following the death of his father, former President Idriss Déby Itno, who was killed by rebels on April 20, 2021, during the Northern Chad offensive. After being proclaimed head of the Transitional Military Council, he promised to transition to civilian rule within 18 months. This period was later extended, leading to his swearing-in as transitional president in October 2022, followed by his election victory in May 2024.
The visit comes less than a week after Tinubu hosted St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Terrance Drew on March 26, 2026, making Déby the second foreign leader received by the Nigerian president within the week.
While official details of the discussions were not released, sources suggest that the meeting focused on regional security challenges, particularly the fight against terrorism in the Lake Chad Basin shared by Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon. Chad remains a key partner in Nigeria’s efforts to counter Boko Haram and Islamic State-affiliated groups in the region.
The meeting also occurs amid Chad’s efforts to reposition itself in regional security affairs following its withdrawal from French military agreements in November 2024 and the exit of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from the G5 Sahel and ECOWAS.
Déby had previously visited Nigeria in July 2023 at Tinubu’s invitation to mediate in Niger’s political crisis following the military coup that removed President Mohamed Bazoum. In recognition of his leadership, Déby was awarded the 2026 African Peace Prize for managing Chad’s political transition and aiding Sudanese refugees. Additionally, in December 2024, Chad’s National Transitional Council conferred upon him the rank of Marshal, the nation’s highest military honor, making him only the second person to hold the title after his father.
Nigeria and Chad maintain strong historical, cultural, and economic ties, with joint security cooperation remaining a priority, especially regarding the insurgency in the Lake Chad Basin, which has been plagued by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province for over a decade.
At the time of reporting, the meeting between Tinubu and Déby was still ongoing.