Nigeria, France sign $475m agreement

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA—PRESIDENT Emmanuel Macron of France, yesterday, said France cannot fix African problems.

According to him, France will only provide security and good economic base for  African leaders to solve their problems.

He also said he was concerned about the problem of terrorism and jihadism in the country, adding that he was committed to having a strong bilateral relations with Nigeria in the area of fighting terrorism, improving the economy, sports and cultural development.

This is as Presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Macron held bilateral talks at Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja during which agreements for French assistance, totalling $475 million for some projects in Lagos, Kano and Ogun states were signed.

President of France Emmanuel Macron 

The Lagos deal is a letter of intent for the financing of urban mobility improvement project via a loan of $200 million.

This will involve development of eight priority bus corridors connected to the Lagos mass transit network.

In Ogun State, a French firm, in conjunction with Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, is to mobilise from investors about $200 million for land reclamation to correct the massive degradation of arable land being witnessed in the state.

The project aims to reforest 108,000 hectares of depleting forest in Ogun, which the state governor, Ibikunle Amosun, hailed as very vital to not only addressing climate change challenges and recreating the forest, but also providing employment to the people of the state, among other benefits.

France, through its foreign development agency, Whence Francaise de Development (AFD), will also extend a credit facility of $75 million towards improving water supply in Kano city.

The concessional loan is expected to help Kano State government ensure more residents of the city have access to drinking water while improving the financial viability of the state water board to increase its revenues.

After the signing of he agreements, Buhari and Macron addressed a joint press conference at the forecourt of the Aso Rock Villa, and pledged to increase the cooperation between Nigeria and France in tackling security challenges occasioned by Boko Haram and ISIS jihadists in Nigeria and the Sahel region of Africa.

African shrine

On why he decided to visit African shrine, he said: “Because I wanted a good occasion to come back there, I know the place, I have some memories about the place. I have to confess at a time there was no President around so I hope to attend a party. It is an iconic place for all of African people and African culture. And I think when you speak about African culture in Europe you speak both those from Africa who succeeded in Europe or in France.

“The shrine is cultural help and iconic help and I recognise the importance of this culture. I recognise the place of this culture and the current environment in this culture.”

He said that he wants France and Nigeria to develop a much more relationship in sports and culture, adding that he was going to launch a strong initiative    on sports in Africa.

He also said that he want a full presence of France in Nigeria especially on enterprise and digitals because they provide more opportunities for the young people even as he said that he would want business leaders from France and Nigeria to work together so as to find goo ideas for the two countries economy.

He said that the bilateral relations between the two countries    was on    security, economy and sports and culture, adding that what was important to him was how African countries could organize themselves to fight terrorism and jihadism

He told President Buhari that there were a lot of challenges at stake in Africa ranging from terrorism, jihadism, migration and so on.

He further stated that the election of President Buhari was one of the great examples of unexpectations where it had been alleged that the result of the election had been written already in favour of the government in power, and expressed optimism that next year’s general elections will deliver a message to the world.