Macron reappoints Abdul Samad Rabiu as president of France-Nigeria business council

French President Emmanuel Macron has reappointed Abdul Samad Rabiu, chairman of BUA Group, as the president of the France-Nigeria business council.

The development was announced at the July 2022 meeting of the council, held in Paris.

The council, inaugurated a year ago, brings together the top businesses in Nigeria and France to improve business relations while ensuring routine cooperation on immense economic benefits for both countries.

Addressing the council, Rabiu said it was a privilege to serve as the pioneer president of the council.

He thanked Macron for his support and for reappointing him as well as Jean Haas of Relais (France) as president of the council and head of the secretariat, respectively.

Speaking further, Rabiu praised the progress made by the France-Nigeria business council since its inauguration and members’ commitments despite the slow global recovery in pushing forward with various partnerships.

According to him, these include plans by some of Nigeria’s biggest banks to set up subsidiaries in France and BUA’s partnership with Axens of France to build a 200,000bpd refinery in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, amongst other key projects by members.

Rabiu also encouraged members of the council to keep seeking partnership opportunities, whilst planning, working together and adding value to each other so that successes already being created can be escalated for the mutual economic benefit of Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy and, France — a global economic leader.

French council’s members include the global chief executives of Total Energies, Dassault, Axens, Accor, CMA, amongst others.

The Nigerian members include Mike Adenuga of Globacom & Conoil, Jim Ovia of Zenith Bank, Gilbert Chagoury of Chagoury Group, and Aliko Dangote of Dangote Group.

Others are Tony Elumelu of UBA, Heirs Holdings and Tony Elumelu Foundation, Herbert Wigwe of Access Bank Group, Philip Mshelbila of NLNG, Daisy Danjuma of Sapetro and May & Baker.

It is expected that Rabiu’s current tenure would see the creation of working sub-committees and sectoral groups to enhance the council’s effectiveness.