President Bola Tinubu on Thursday welcomed Chad’s President, Marshal Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, to the State House in Abuja. The meeting, which began around 2 p.m., marked 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 in April 2021 after the death of his father, Idriss Déby Itno, who was killed by rebels while commanding troops on the frontline. Initially heading a Transitional Military Council, the younger Déby pledged to hand over power within 18 months. That timeline was later extended, and he was sworn in as transitional president in October 2022 before winning Chad’s presidential election in May 2024.
The Abuja meeting comes just a week after Tinubu hosted Prime Minister Terrance Drew of St. Kitts and Nevis, making Déby the second head of state received by the Nigerian leader in quick succession. While official details of the talks were not immediately released, sources close to the Presidency indicated that discussions would likely focus on regional security, particularly counterterrorism efforts in the Lake Chad Basin.
Chad has long been a crucial partner in Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram and Islamic State-affiliated groups operating across Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad. The visit also comes at a time when Chad is repositioning itself within regional security frameworks, having withdrawn from French military agreements in November 2024. Meanwhile, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have exited both the G5 Sahel and ECOWAS, reshaping alliances in West and Central Africa.
Déby’s engagement with Nigeria is not new. In July 2023, he visited Abuja at Tinubu’s invitation while the Nigerian leader chaired ECOWAS, helping mediate the political crisis in Niger after the military ousted President Mohamed Bazoum. His regional role has since expanded, earning him the 2026 African Peace Prize for managing Chad’s political transition and supporting Sudanese refugees displaced by conflict.
Domestically, Déby has consolidated his authority. In December 2024, Chad’s National Transitional Council elevated him to the rank of Marshal, the country’s highest military honor, previously held only by his father. This recognition underscored his dual role as both political leader and military figure.
Nigeria and Chad share deep historical, cultural, and economic ties, reinforced by significant cross-border trade and shared security challenges. The Lake Chad Basin has endured insurgency for more than a decade, with extremist groups carrying out attacks that destabilize communities and hinder development. Both nations continue to prioritize joint operations and intelligence sharing to counter these threats.
Tinubu’s meeting with Déby highlights Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to strengthen regional cooperation against terrorism and instability. With Chad recalibrating its security partnerships and Nigeria seeking to consolidate its leadership role in West Africa, the talks are expected to shape future collaboration in the fight against insurgency and in broader regional diplomacy.
As of press time, the meeting was still in progress, but its significance lies in reinforcing Nigeria-Chad relations at a moment of shifting alliances and persistent security challenges across the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin.
