May 13 (THEWILL) – President Bola Tinubu has welcomed the outcomes of the 10th France-Nigeria Business Council Meeting held on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.
He declared that economic relations between both countries have now entered what he described as an “execution phase” focused on investments, industrial growth, jobs, and infrastructure development.
The President said the strengthening partnership between Nigeria and France was beginning to yield concrete economic benefits, noting that bilateral trade between both nations reached $4.7 billion in 2025, while Nigeria remained the leading destination for French investment in sub-Saharan Africa.
According to a State House statement issued on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said the growing economic ties between the two countries must now translate into tangible development outcomes capable of improving livelihoods and accelerating economic transformation.
“The relationship now carries real economic weight and must be translated into more jobs, industries, infrastructure, and shared prosperity,” the President stated.
The high-level meeting brought together major Nigerian and French business leaders, policymakers, and investors who reviewed ongoing projects and pledged to deepen collaboration across strategic sectors of the economy.
Among Nigerian officials at the meeting were the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, while the French delegation included Minister Delegate, Nicolas Forissier.
President Tinubu commended the Chairman of the France-Nigeria Business Council, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, for convening what he described as a productive session that successfully brought together influential private-sector stakeholders from both countries.
The President also acknowledged the participation of leading business figures including Aliko Dangote, Abdul Samad Rabiu, Tony Elumelu, Wale Tinubu, Kola Karim, Kashim Bukar, Patrick Pouyanné, and Rodolphe Saadé, alongside representatives of major international firms including TotalEnergies, CMA CGM, Danone , and Accor.
Tinubu said the calibre of participants at the meeting reflected increasing investor confidence in Nigeria’s economic reforms and long-term competitiveness under his administration.
The President particularly welcomed the agreement signed between Accor and Shoreline Group to establish Nigeria’s first national hotel platform, describing the development as a significant endorsement of the country’s hospitality, tourism, and investment potential.
“This is the partnership Nigeria is ready for. We are ready for investment that builds, capital that produces, and an enterprise that creates jobs. Nigeria and France are no longer simply exchanging goodwill. We are opening a new chapter of serious economic execution,” Tinubu said.
The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving the business environment, sustaining economic reforms, and supporting credible investors to build a more stable, productive, and globally competitive economy.
He added that discussions at the Africa Forward Summit underscored Nigeria’s readiness to deepen economic engagement with global partners and reposition itself as a major destination for investment and industrial expansion on the African continent.
“The message from the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi is that Nigeria is ready, France is engaged, and the private sector in both countries is moving forward. The next chapter of Africa-Europe relations will be written in factories, hotels, ports, energy projects, technology platforms, farms, jobs, and new value chains,” the President stated.
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