South African President Jacob Zuma will at the weekend visit Nigeria’s oil-rich state of Imo for talks with business and traditional leaders, his office said on Friday.

Zuma will travel to Nigeria from Zambia, where he is completing a state visit, to Owerri city late on Friday for talks on Saturday aimed at strengthening socio-economic relations and deepening cooperation on education.

“During the visit, the President will visit the Rochas Foundation and Hall of Fame as well as address a number of stakeholders in the Imo State including business and traditional leaders,” the presidency said.

The governor of Imo, Owelle Okorocha, will confer the Imo Merit Award on Zuma during his visit. It is the highest award the state can confer on distinguished personalities who have made a difference in the development of their communities.

From Nigeria, Zuma will travel to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo on 15 October 2017, in his capacity as chairman of the Southern African Development Community for talks with President Joseph Kabila on peace and security in the Great Lakes region, his office said.