French President, Macron Inaugurates France-Nigeria Business Council
Oyiza Abdullahi
Appoints Chairman BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu as 1st President.
French President, Emmanuel Macron has inaugurated the France-Nigeria Business Council that would enhance business relations between both countries.
This private-sector initiative has Abdul Samad Rabiu, Founder/Chairman of Nigeria’s BUA Group, as its inaugural President.
The newly inaugurated council also has Aliko Dangote of Dangote Industries, Tony Elumelu, Chairman UBA & Heirs Holdings, Mike Adenuga of Globacom and Conoil, Gilbert Chagoury of Chagoury Group, and Herbert Wigwe, CEO, Access Bank as the Nigerian members of the council. Some of the largest French companies, including Dassault, Danone, Axens, Ponticelli, and Total Energies, are also council members.
Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the council which held in Paris, on the sidelines of the Business France Summit in Versailles, France, the newly inaugurated and 1st President of the council, Rabiu thanked President Macron for “his vision in creating the French-Nigeria Business Council which has led to a reset in the business relationship between Nigeria and France and has created a viable platform for business from both countries to partner and improve business ties.”
The newly inaugurated President added that “Nigeria is blessed with numerous potentials for French companies to do business across different areas, notably solid minerals, mining, manufacturing, agriculture, associated equipment, power, food processing, and even in the business of associated equipment or infrastructure for the value chains of these sectors.”
Rabiu further thanked President Macron for the appointment, appreciated his foresight in creating the council, and pledged to use the platform to create better business opportunities on both sides.
While congratulating the BUA Chairman and newly appointed president of the council, Macron expressed gratitude for his confidence in French businesses, which led to a partnership for BUA’s new 200,000barrels per day refinery.
The French President pledged his government’s support to facilitate better dialogue amongst the Nigerian businesses present and their French counterparts.
It would be recalled that French Minister for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, Franck Riester, had in April 2021 announced that the Chairman of BUA Group had been appointed Chairman of the France-Nigeria Investment Club.