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Nigeria is France’s first trading partner in Sub-Saharan Africa.
In a recent interaction with the Consul General of France in Lagos, Mr. Laurent Favier, he highlighted that the relationship between France and Nigeria has been scaling-up over the last years. Therefore, it is not surprising to see this bilateral relationship deepen in the areas of economic and commercial relations, which is now moving from intention to execution, driven by active diplomatic engagement and private-sector councils: bilateral trade between the two nations reached $4.7 billion in 2025.
As an example, he stated that in September 2026, landmark agreements were pushed forward in
Paris, witnessed by President Bola Tinubu, and included partnerships to develop the Gateway Deep Sea Port and the associated Ogun State Blue Marine Special Economic Zone, while French brands are scaling up operations in Nigeria’s massive consumer market. Notable recent commercial integrations include expansions by retail giant Carrefour, the Accor hospitality Group, and Canal+ making major moves in the entertainment industry via its acquisition strategy with MultiChoice.
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Initiatives like the recent creation of the Franco-Nigerian Agri-Business Club – a platform dedicated to promoting collaboration between France and Nigeria in the field of agrofood industry, will enable French agribusiness players to invest in local capacity building, agricultural mechanization, agro-processing, and the reduction of post-harvest losses within Nigeria and create a platform for expansion in the sector.
He stated that established companies like TotalEnergies, CMA-CGM, SPIE, Schneider Electric, and Danone continue to invest more and expand their operations in Nigeria. Beyond energy trade, over one hundred French companies operate directly on Nigerian soil across pharmaceuticals, agriculture, insurance, logistics, transport, infrastructure and hospitality, generating more than 14,000 direct local jobs. With French foreign direct investment stock standing at 8.1 billion euros in 2025, our presence is rooted in a long-term commitment to joint economic creation and sustainable growth.
The French Week is aimed at strategically showcasing these achievements while expanding the relationship between France and Nigeria.
The President of the Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Guillaume Niarfeix also stated that the French Week 2026 will focus on turning dialogue between French and Nigerian businesses into concrete partnerships. The week-long program, rated the largest C-level business networking event in Nigeria, will take place in Lagos from 30 October to 6 November 2026.
Mr. Niarfeix said that French investment was already visible across Nigerian cities and sectors. In energy, he noted TotalEnergies’ 2024 final investment decision with NNPC on the Ubeta gas field, which is earmarked to feed the Nigeria LNG Train 7 and, more recently, the IMA project. In transport and logistics, he pointed to the Omi Eko project, in which France–through AFD, alongside the European Union and the European Investment Bank support, is set to bring 75 electric ferries, 25 upgraded terminals and 15 routes covering 140 kilometers to Lagos’s waterways. He also cited the Lekki Deep Sea Port, whose CMA-CGM container terminal agreed to operate, and which has a 14-metre draft and capacity for 2.5 million TEUs a year.
France’s Attractiveness for Nigerian investors.
The FNCCI President added that the Chamber had also been taking its work beyond Lagos. He cited its first Executive Paris Leadership Training Program and Business Mission, held earlier this year, which brought Nigerian executives into contact with French investors, institutions and policymakers.
Indeed, with the opening of a French Desk by Access Bank in Paris, the majority of Nigeria’s largest financial institutions are now present in France (Access Bank, Zenith Bank, United Bank for Africa, and First Bank of Nigeria), the Consul General of France said. In the agrifood and agroindustry sector, two Nigerian companies are now established: JR Farms in the production and export of coffee, animal feed, and cassava processing products, and Babafood, in the importexport of agro-industrial products. The Flour Mills of Nigeria Group has expressed its desire to develop there. Nigeria was able to present its pavilion at the International Agriculture Show in 2026, for the second time after the 2024 edition. In the energy sector, GecX60, and IoT (Internet of Things) tech start-up, set up its R&D centre in the Orange Group incubator located in Blagnac. Convexity, a consulting provider in blockchain and payment solutions for NGOs, is set to establish its first European office in Paris.
Mr. Niarfeix commended the Federal Government for its continuing reforms and its efforts to improve the ease of doing business, which he said gave local and foreign investors a firmer foundation to invest. He said French companies continued to see Nigeria as a strategic partner and not only a market.
The President thanked the Nigerian Government, the French Embassy, the French Consulate General in Lagos and the economic and commercial Departments (French Treasury and Business France in Nigeria), the sponsors and partners, and the press for their long-standing support.
About Team France
The Consulate General of France in Lagos, the Embassy of France in Abuja, together with the various institutions that make up the Team France, work every day to deepen bilateral cooperation and foster lasting partnerships between our two countries. These efforts span a wide range of sectors, including trade, investment, education, culture, innovation and sustainable development.
Team France brings together a diverse network of actors, including Business France and the
Economic Department, which support economic and commercial exchange; the French Development Agency and its subsidiaries Proparco and Expertise France, which contribute to sustainable development initiatives; the French Foreign Trade Advisors; the Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the France-Nigeria Agri-Business Club and the France– Nigeria Business Council, which promote business ties and investment opportunities; Promosalons; 10 Alliance Française around Nigeria; the Institut Français du Nigeria in Abuja; two Lycées Français (Louis Pasteur in Lagos and Marcel Pagnol in Abuja); Campus France, which facilitates access to higher education opportunities in France; and the Cooperation and Cultural Affairs Department, which advances educational, scientific and cultural collaboration. Together, these institutions embody France’s commitment to building a dynamic, forwardlooking partnership with Nigeria, grounded in shared ambitions for economic growth, innovation, education and cultural exchange.
About FNCCI
Founded in 1985, the Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry promotes economic, commercial and financial relations between France and Nigeria. The Chamber is a vital bridge between the Franco-Nigerian business communities and serves as a catalyst for the ever-growing relationship between both countries.
