Nigeria and France have reaffirmed their strategic partnership with renewed commitments to deepen cooperation across critical sectors, including trade, security, education, and culture. This was the highlight of a high-level diplomatic meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja.
The meeting reinforced the decades-long diplomatic relationship between both countries, which officially began on October 1, 1960. Today, France stands as Nigeria’s largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa and one of the world’s key buyers of Nigerian hydrocarbons.
Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu emphasized the warm ties between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and French President Emmanuel Macron, noting that their personal rapport has further strengthened diplomatic and economic cooperation. She confirmed Nigeria’s readiness to operationalise the Memoranda of Understanding signed during President Tinubu’s State Visit to France in November 2024. These agreements span vital sectors such as energy, infrastructure development, and education.
The minister also encouraged greater French investment in Nigeria’s fast-evolving business environment, while commending the entry of leading Nigerian banks like Access Bank, First Bank, Zenith Bank, and UBA into the French financial ecosystem. She reassured the French envoy of Nigeria’s commitment to ensuring transparency, fiscal responsibility, and a secure environment for investors.
On security, Odumegwu-Ojukwu lauded France’s ongoing support for Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts and stressed the importance of continued cooperation in defence and intelligence sharing, especially in the North-East. She highlighted Nigeria’s multi-pronged approach that includes military action, rehabilitation of displaced persons, and socio-economic reintegration initiatives.
Additionally, she sought France’s backing for Nigeria’s candidates in international bodies and urged French businesses to explore emerging opportunities through MEDEF, France’s largest employer federation. She also underscored the importance of educational collaboration and expressed concern over irregular migration and its impact on Nigeria’s global reputation.
Ambassador Fonbaustier, accompanied by Deputy Head of Mission Jean-Francois Hasperue, praised Nigeria-France relations and acknowledged shared values such as sovereignty and non-alignment. He emphasized that, unlike many African countries, Nigeria’s relationship with France is not rooted in colonial history, allowing both nations to pursue a forward-looking partnership based on mutual respect and opportunity.
The French envoy unveiled plans for two major cultural events in Nigeria: an October 2025 exhibition in Lagos honoring Afrobeat icon Fela Anikulapo Kuti, and the Forum Creation Africa a large-scale cultural exchange featuring over 800 participants from both countries, scheduled for October 16–18, 2025. The forum will include concerts, exhibitions, and fashion shows, further cementing cultural ties.
Fonbaustier also addressed the often negative media portrayal of Nigeria in France, vowing to reshape the narrative by promoting the country’s reforms and investment potential. He acknowledged the recent economic reforms under President Tinubu, including the unification of Nigeria’s forex markets and the removal of fuel subsidies as bold moves creating new opportunities in agriculture, renewable energy, ICT, and the creative industries.
The ambassador concluded by inviting Minister Odumegwu-Ojukwu to France’s National Day celebration on July 14, affirming a shared commitment to a stronger and mutually beneficial relationship between Nigeria and France.
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