France, Nigeria Strengthen Agri-Business Partnership to Boost Agriculture’s GDP Contribution

Bennett Oghifo

France and Nigeria have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral economic cooperation in agriculture, with both countries seeking to unlock new agribusiness opportunities and increase agriculture’s contribution to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), currently estimated at about 25 per cent.

The renewed commitment was announced on Thursday at the France-Nigeria Agri-Business Dialogue held in Lagos, where government officials, agribusiness leaders, investors and other stakeholders explored strategies for transforming Nigeria’s agricultural value chain and attracting greater investment into the sector.

Speaking at the event, the Consul General of France in Lagos, Laurent Favier, described agriculture as one of the strongest pillars of Nigeria’s economy, stressing that the long-standing relationship between France and Nigeria offers an opportunity to combine the comparative strengths of both countries for sustainable economic growth.

According to him, stronger collaboration between Nigerian and French stakeholders would create greater value than isolated efforts, noting that both countries possess complementary expertise capable of driving agricultural transformation.
He observed that the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) has expanded market opportunities across the continent, making Nigeria an increasingly strategic partner for France because of its vast agricultural resources and enormous investment potential.

Favier said France remains committed to supporting Africa’s agricultural transformation, revealing that approximately €27 billion was recently committed during an international summit to accelerate agricultural value chain development across the continent.
He disclosed that €300 million from the fund has been earmarked specifically to support entrepreneurs, agribusinesses and enterprises operating within agricultural value chains across Africa.

As part of efforts to institutionalise cooperation, the French envoy announced the integration of agribusiness into the activities of the Franco-Nigeria Chamber of Commerce and formally unveiled the France-Nigeria Agri-Business Club.
According to him, the new platform is designed to strengthen collaboration among businesses, investors and other stakeholders from both countries while promoting trade, innovation and investment in agriculture.

Favier also highlighted the objectives of FARM+, a French-led agricultural initiative established in 2022, explaining that the programme extends beyond financial intervention to provide technical expertise, business development support and capacity building for agricultural enterprises across Africa.

He noted that the initiative was launched during the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi to combine financial resources with technical know-how aimed at strengthening agricultural businesses rather than merely funding equipment or infrastructure.
Expressing optimism about Nigeria’s agricultural prospects, Favier said the country’s enormous potential, when combined with French expertise, could significantly enhance productivity, value addition and export competitiveness.

Also speaking, the Agriculture Counsellor for Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon at the French Embassy, Rachid Benlafquih, described Nigeria as a strategic market for France, particularly in agricultural production and exports.

He explained that France is working to bridge both countries’ agricultural ecosystems by promoting innovation, knowledge transfer and stronger value-chain development capable of improving productivity and competitiveness.

Benlafquih said the partnership would also provide technical assistance to help organise Nigeria’s agricultural value chains more efficiently while strengthening the country’s capacity to compete in international markets.

He, however, pointed out that Nigerian agricultural exports seeking access to European markets must comply with the European Union’s sanitary and phytosanitary standards, acknowledging that meeting those requirements remains a major challenge for many producers.

To address the challenge, he said France is prepared to support Nigerian institutions and agribusiness operators with technical expertise, including training on pest management, animal health systems and other sanitary measures required for international trade.

Speaking on strategies to increase agriculture’s contribution to Nigeria’s GDP, Benlafquih maintained that sustainable growth would require coordinated action involving government, private sector operators, technology providers and research institutions.

According to him, the development of sound public policies in collaboration with the private sector remains essential, adding that technological innovation alone would not be sufficient without institutional reforms and capacity building across the agricultural ecosystem.

He stressed the importance of strengthening veterinary services, improving animal health management and addressing structural challenges affecting agricultural production to enhance the sector’s overall contribution to economic growth.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Coordinator of the dialogue and Chief Executive Officer of JR Farms, Mr. Rotimi Olawale, said the forum was organised to celebrate the enduring partnership between France and Nigeria while exploring fresh opportunities for collaboration in agribusiness.
Olawale, who noted that he had collaborated with the French Embassy for about six years, described Nigeria as France’s largest trading partner in Africa and urged both countries to leverage their strong economic relationship to drive investment, innovation and sustainable growth across Nigeria’s agricultural sector.