Nigeria – Visit by Franck Riester (12 to 14 April 2021)

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Franck Riester, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, visited Nigeria from April 12 to 14. This visit falls in line with the priorities set by President Macron during his visit to Nigeria in July 2018 and his determination to build a new partnership between Africa and France.

Nigeria, the largest economy in Africa and the economic powerhouse of West Africa, is a key partner of France. Franck Riester met with Niyi Adebayo, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment and Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, in order to prepare for the summit on financing African economies due to take place in Paris on May 18. The minister delegate also discussed ways to strengthen French-Nigerian cooperation with the Governors’ Forum, a key platform in Nigeria.

The minister delegate met with the main Nigerian economic stakeholders in order to strengthen bilateral cooperation and investment in Nigeria as well as in France, notably in the logistics, banking, energy, agri-food and infrastructure sectors. He delivered an invitation from President Macron to seven Nigerian business leaders to go to the Choose France summit on June 28 in order to attend a session devoted to Nigeria on the sidelines of the summit.

The minister delegate also met with young Nigerian entrepreneurs from the cultural and creative industries sector in order to discuss Nigeria’s key role in African creativity and the development of Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, with the support of France. He met with the French business community to discuss prospects for expanding its activities in Nigeria.

The minister delegate opened the Choose Africa conference, a €3.5 billion initiative backed by President Macron to support the development of start-ups and SMEs in Africa in order to allow the continent to fully benefit from the opportunities offered by the digital revolution.

The minister delegate also inaugurated the new Embassy of France in Abuja.