President Bola Tinubu has reassured French investors on Thursday that Nigeria is ready to do business, stressing that the government’s efforts to stabilise the security situation and create a favourable investment climate.
Speaking during a joint briefing with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Tinubu said, “We’ve been working on stabilizing the security system in Nigeria and we are getting closer and closer. We are doing better now in the area of security. I can assure all the investors that Nigeria is open for business.”
Tinubu highlighted Nigeria’s young, educated, and skilled population as a key asset for potential investors. “We have a vibrant youth population that is well educated, skilled, and ready to be trained for the development of our economy,” he said, adding that French expertise could play a pivotal role in leveraging this demographic.
He also pointed to Nigeria’s efforts to diversify its economy away from oil, emphasising sectors like marine and blue economies. “We have the potential to diversify our economy from fossil fuels,” Tinubu noted, citing initiatives like taming the Atlantic Ocean and promoting fishery as key areas of growth.
While acknowledging the challenges Nigeria faces, including insecurity and inflation, Tinubu expressed optimism about collaboration with France to address these issues. “Nigeria is ready to partner with France so that we will have a very robust security operation that will stop migration,” he said.
Macron, who has prioritised renewing ties with Africa, reaffirmed France’s commitment to investing in Nigeria despite the changing geopolitical landscape in the region.
