The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Richard Adeniyi Adebayo, has said France is among the top 10 export destinations for Nigeria and that the country has been one of France’s largest trading partners in sub-Saharan Africa.
The Minister made this known during a recent working visit of the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Jarome Pasquier to the minister in Abuja.
Adebayo commended French companies in Nigeria saying their operations have brought a massive inflow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) while contributing to the job creation of the youths.
Adebayo further revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s led Administration is doing a lot in the area of Ease of Doing Business (EODB) while improving in the World Bank’s ranking.
He, therefore, urged the firms to leverage on Nigeria’s investment opportunities to invest more in agro-allied industries, mining sector, information technology, transportation, energy, among others.
“Government is creating a lot of Industrial Parks, which France and other countries can further leverage on to improve economic ties with Nigeria.”
Ambassador Pasquier in his remarks said France is determined to woo more investors to Nigeria to take advantage of Nigeria’s economic diversification process and other infrastructural developments.
He mentioned them to include the development of Free Trade Zones, agro-industries, livestock, ranching activities, tropical agriculture, and geographic information so that Nigeria’s products would get international recognition.
He also said the France minister of trade will visit Nigeria with more French companies to boost trade bilateral relationship between the two countries. DT
