Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari was scheduled to travel to Paris on Monday for a three-day official visit to France following an invitation from President Francois Hollande, South Africa’s News24 reported with information from Afp.

Buhari is seeking closer ties with his French counterpart in security and trade amid global economic turbulence and Nigeria’s Boko Haram insurgency. The 72-year-old Nigerian leader will meet with Hollande Monday night as well as France’s Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius and other top government officials.

The trip “will focus on the further strengthening and consolidation of ongoing bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and France in the areas of defense, security, trade and investments,” Buhari’s spokesman Femi Adesina said Sunday in an emailed statement.

Meetings with the heads of French oil major Total and concrete manufacturer Lafarge, both of which have operations in Nigeria, are also planned, as is a meeting with African ambassadors in Paris.