France is focusing on a lift in bilateral commerce with Nigeria and will likely be exploring new alternatives on the ongoing 2026 French Week 2026 in Lagos and President Emmanuel Macron’s later go to in January 2027.
Strong business synergies in key sectors of vitality, infrastructure, agriculture, logistics, finance, and know-how helped push commerce between each nations to $4.7 billion in 2025, alongside €8.1 billion in French international direct funding inventory in Nigeria.
The French Week, organised by the Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) brings collectively enterprise leaders, traders and policymakers from each nations to discover new partnerships that may drive development past present ranges.
President of the FNCCI, Guillaume Niarfeix described the week-long programme as Nigeria’s largest C-level enterprise networking occasion, noting the readiness of French corporations and improvement companions to help financial actions throughout strategic sectors like vitality, transport and logistics.
The Consul General of France in Lagos, Laurent Favier said that the rising relationship between each nations displays a shift from diplomatic intentions to concrete enterprise offers, pushed by fixed engagement between each governments and personal sector organisations.
He affirmed Nigeria stays France’s main buying and selling associate in sub-Saharan Africa, with over 100 French corporations working within the nation throughout prescribed drugs, agriculture, insurance coverage, logistics, transport, infrastructure and hospitality, producing about 14,000 direct native jobs.
“We saw agreements on the Gateway Deep Sea Port and the adjoining Ogun Blue Marine Special Economic Zone as clear signs of expanding cooperation. Those deals were advanced in Paris in September in the presence of President Tinubu, as part of efforts to attract investment and strengthen commercial links,” he stated.
Niarfeix additionally shared key insights into sectors stimulating French funding within the economic system.
In vitality and transport, he stated TotalEnergies has partnered with NNPC on the Ubeta gasoline area and IMA undertaking to feed Nigeria LNG’s Train 7, whereas the French Development Agency and the EU are funding the Omi Eko undertaking in Lagos to deploy 75 electrical ferries throughout 140 kilometres of waterways.
“Additionally, French logistics giant CMA CGM has taken over container operations at the Lekki Deep Sea Port, leveraging its 14-metre draft and 2.5 million TEU capacity to boost international trade,” he stated.
“The push is now two-way. Nigerian banks including Access Bank, Zenith, UBA and First Bank have expanded into France, while firms like JR Farms, Babafood and Flour Mills are making inroads into the French agribusiness market. On the tech front, Nigerian IoT startup GecX60 has opened an R&D centre in Blagnac with Orange Group, and Convexity is setting up its first European office in Paris,” he added.
