President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced that the economic partnership between Nigeria and France has moved past the era of mere diplomatic goodwill into a rigorous “execution phase.” Speaking yesterday on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, the President emphasized that the bilateral relationship must now yield tangible results in jobs, industrial growth, and infrastructure.
The declaration followed the 10th France-Nigeria Business Council meeting—a high-stakes gathering of captains of industry and government ministers. President Tinubu noted that with trade between both nations soaring to $4.7 billion in 2025, Nigeria has firmly established itself as the premier destination for French investment in sub-Saharan Africa.
From Dialogue to Delivery
In a statement released by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President underscored a shift in strategy. “We are opening a new chapter of serious economic execution,” Tinubu stated. “The message from the Africa Forward Summit is that Nigeria is ready, France is engaged, and the private sector is moving forward.”
A major highlight of the engagement was the formalization of a partnership between Accor and the Shoreline Group to develop Nigeria’s first national hotel platform. The President described this venture as a massive “vote of confidence” in Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism sectors, signaling a readiness for “capital that produces and enterprise that creates jobs.”
A Star-Studded Delegation
The Nairobi meeting saw a rare assembly of Nigeria’s economic heavyweights alongside French global leaders. The Nigerian delegation included:
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Aliko Dangote (Dangote Group)
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Tony Elumelu (Heirs Holdings/UBA)
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Abdul Samad Rabiu (BUA Group)
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Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede (Chairman, France-Nigeria Business Council)
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Wale Tinubu (Oando)
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Kola Karim (Shoreline Group)
Representing the French side were major executives including Patrick Pouyanné of TotalEnergies and Rodolphe Saadé of CMA CGM, alongside France’s Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, Nicolas Forissier.
Policy Stability as a Catalyst
The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to creating a “stable, productive, and competitive” economy. This sentiment was echoed by Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele during a prior investor meet in Paris, where he revealed that Nigeria recorded a 11.2% GDP growth in dollar terms in 2025, reinforcing the ambition to reach a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
As the President concludes his three-nation trip, the focus remains clear: translating high-level reforms into “concrete benefits” for the Nigerian people through factory floors, energy projects, and technology platforms.
