Nigeria and France are seeking to deepen bilateral trade and investment in the energy sector, with industry leaders identifying gas development, infrastructure financing, technology transfer and local manufacturing as major opportunities for expanding economic cooperation.
The call was made at an energy roundtable organised by the Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) as part of activities marking French Week 2026 in Lagos.
The engagement brought together energy executives, government representatives and diplomatic officials to explore investment opportunities and strengthen commercial partnerships between both countries, particularly in the oil and gas value chain.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of TotalEnergies Nigeria, Matthieu Bouyer, said Nigeria remained an important investment destination for French businesses, noting that the company had operated in the country for 70 years.
He said more than 100 French companies were operating across different sectors of the Nigerian economy, including energy, infrastructure, logistics, technology, agriculture and consumer goods, while bilateral trade reached approximately $4.7bn in 2025.
Bouyer said the changing dynamics of the global energy industry required Nigeria and its international partners to focus on investments that would increase production, improve operational efficiency, strengthen energy security and reduce emissions.
