President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed the outcome of the 10th France-Nigeria Business Council meeting held during the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, declaring that economic relations between Nigeria and France have now entered what he described as an “execution phase.”
The President said the growing partnership between both countries must now translate into tangible economic benefits, including jobs, industrial growth, infrastructure development and broader prosperity for Nigerians and French investors alike. According to the Presidency, trade between Nigeria and France rose to $4.7 billion in 2025, with Nigeria retaining its position as the leading destination for French investment in sub-Saharan Africa.
President Tinubu, who addressed participants at the summit, said the strengthening bilateral relationship reflects increasing confidence in Nigeria’s economic reforms and long-term investment potential. “This is the partnership Nigeria is ready for. We are ready for investment that builds, capital that produces, and enterprise that creates jobs. Nigeria and France are no longer simply exchanging goodwill. We are opening a new chapter of serious economic execution,” the President stated.
The meeting brought together senior government officials and top business leaders from both countries, including Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, and France’s Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and French Nationals Abroad, Nicolas Forissier. Discussions focused on ongoing projects, investment opportunities and expanding private-sector cooperation across key sectors of the economy.
President Tinubu commended the Chairman of the France-Nigeria Business Council, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, for convening what he described as a productive engagement involving influential business figures from both nations. Among those present at the meeting were billionaire industrialists Aliko Dangote and Abdul Samad Rabiu, Heirs Holdings Chairman Tony Elumelu, Oando Group Chief Executive Wale Tinubu, Shoreline Group Chairman Kola Karim, and leading French corporate executives including Patrick Pouyanné of TotalEnergies and Rodolphe Saadé of CMA CGM.
The President particularly welcomed the agreement signed between French hospitality giant Accor and Shoreline Group to establish Nigeria’s first national hotel platform, describing the development as a major boost for the country’s hospitality, tourism and services sector. He said the agreement sends a strong signal to global investors that Nigeria remains open for business and committed to reforms that encourage private-sector participation.
Tinubu also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving the business climate, strengthening economic reforms and supporting credible investors seeking to expand operations in Nigeria. According to him, the outcomes of the summit demonstrate that Nigeria and France are deepening cooperation beyond diplomacy into practical economic partnerships capable of driving growth across multiple sectors.
“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,” President Tinubu added.
