… As Odumegwu-Ojukwu expresses FG’s readiness to operationalise MOUs

By Nkiruka Nnorom

Nigeria and France have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation across trade, security, education, and culture, as both countries continue to explore mutual opportunities built on decades of strong diplomatic relations.

These dominated discussions at the meeting between the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu and the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier, when the later paid a courtesy visit to the Ministry at Abuja.

Nigeria and France have enjoyed diplomatic relations since October 1, 1960, with strong collaboration in areas such as counter-terrorism, trade, and cultural exchange. Nigeria is France’s largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa and one of the largest global suppliers of hydrocarbons.

In a statement by Magnus Eze, Special Assistant on Communication and New Media to the Minister, Odumegwu-Ojukwu expressed Nigeria’s readiness to operationalise various agreements signed during President Tinubu’s State Visit to France in November 2024, including those on energy, infrastructure, and education.

She called on France to encourage more of its investors to explore the Nigerian market, while also acknowledging the expansion of Nigerian banks such as Access Bank, First Bank, Zenith Bank and United Bank for Africa into the French financial space.

She assured the Ambassador that French investments were safe in Nigeria, while saying that the Nigerian government was actively engaged in creating an enabling business environment for existing and prospective investors through the introduction of measures to ensure fiscal responsibility, transparency, accountability and adherence to due process.

She also commended the French government for its support in Nigeria’s counter-terrorism fight and expressed optimism that continued collaboration, particularly in the areas of defence and intelligence, would further improve regional stability.

She highlighted Nigeria’s ongoing efforts in the North-East through military engagement, rehabilitation of displaced communities, and socio-economic programmes aimed at de-radicalisation and reintegration.

“We will continue to count on France’s support in the campaign against terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria, particularly through continued strategic cooperation and assistance,” she said.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu also requested France’s support for Nigeria’s candidates in international organisations and urged French businesses to tap into the emerging investment climate under the auspices of MEDEF—the largest federation of entrepreneurs in France.

Ambassador Fonbaustier, who was accompanied by the Deputy Head of Mission, Jean-Francoise Hasperue, noted that France and Nigeria share a “strategic mirroring effect” in their ideals of sovereignty, non-alignment, and self-reliance.

He expressed confidence that both countries can build more meaningful collaborations devoid of colonial baggage, given that France has no colonial history with Nigeria.

On the cultural front, the French envoy announced plans for a major exhibition in Lagos celebrating the legacy of Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti in October 2025.

He also disclosed that preparations were in top gear for the Forum Creation Africa, a joint cultural event involving over 800 participants from France and Nigeria, set to hold in Lagos from October 16–18, 2025. The event will feature concerts, fashion shows, and exhibitions.

Fonbaustier raised concerns over the negative perception of Nigeria in France, often shaped by media narratives around insecurity and crime and pledged to correct this narrative and build investor confidence by highlighting Nigeria’s reforms and potential.