"In international politics, power is the ability to impose one's will, but also the ability to inspire"- Raymond Aron
In public discourse across West Africa today, France is often discussed through the lenses of geo-politics, military presence, and colonial memory. Yet, behind these sentiments lies a deeper reality: France is not merely a political or cultural actor; it is a major economic and industrial power whose resources, technologies and capacities intersect directly with Africa's development ambitions. For Nigeria, a country seeking industrial renewal, technological advancement and global competitiveness, France's economic weight is not something to be dismissed or overlooked. It is a strategic variable in our development equation.
In this final part of the series that I started on France, I will shift from geo-politics and civilisation to the material foundations of modern power: industry, technology, finance, trade, energy and development cooperation. To understand France in this domain is to understand why its role still matters for Nigeria's growth and future prosperity. France is a major industrial power with a global reach. It remains one of the world's top ten economies, with a highly diversified industrial base spanning aerospace, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, energy, defence, telecommunications, logistics, food processing and luxury manufacturing. Unlike many Western economies that have significantly de-industrialised, France retains a powerful manufacturing backbone supported by world-class research institutions, engineering schools and innovation clusters.
The French aerospace industry, led by Airbus, Dassault Aviation and Safran, is among the most advanced globally. Airbus aircraft dominate Africa's skies, including Nigeria's, while French companies supply avionics, engines, helicopters, maintenance services and safety systems. Nigeria's aviation future spanning from fleet modernisation to pilot training and airport infrastructure, will inevitably intersect with French capabilities. In the energy sector as well, France possesses unmatched expertise in nuclear power, renewable energy, grid modernisation and energy efficiency. Its nuclear industry, ranging from reactor design to waste management, is one of the world's most sophisticated. For Nigeria, exploring clean, predictable energy sources and transitioning to a diversified power mix will benefit from engagement with such an advanced partner.
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France's pharmaceutical giants and medical research institutions offer additional areas for cooperation, from vaccine research to hospital partnerships, training and specialisation etc. Industrial modernisation in Nigeria cannot be achieved in isolation; it requires strategic partnerships with technologically advanced nations and France is, undeniably, one of them. Through its deep influence within the European Union, France helps shape the structures, incentives and constraints that frame Africa's economic engagement with Europe. The EU is Nigeria's largest trading partner, the biggest market for our non-oil exports, and a major source of investment, grants and development assistance. Whether negotiating trade protocols, setting regulatory standards or funding infrastructure, the EU acts as a global economic force and France is one of its chief architects.
For Nigeria, this has practical consequences. Access to European markets, compliance with EU standards, financing for energy and transport projects, and migration-related incentives all sit within frameworks heavily influenced by Paris. As Africa seeks deeper integration through the AfCFTA, and as Nigeria positions itself as a continental manufacturing hub, understanding the European, and by extension, French economic posture becomes essential. French influence in Brussels is therefore not an obstacle but an avenue of leverage. Nigeria's foreign policy and economic establishments must therefore engage France intelligently, not warily.
Beyond trade, France has maintained a significant financial and developmental footprint in Nigeria through the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and its private-sector arm, Proparco. These institutions have funded major projects in areas such as urban transport, water supply and sanitation, agriculture and rural development, renewable energy and off-grid solutions, health systems, education and vocational training etc. French banks and investment houses remain active in African markets, financing infrastructure, supporting SMEs development and enabling technology ventures. In a country where infrastructure deficits constrain growth, these channels offer valuable opportunities for partnership.
What Nigeria requires is not more aid but strategic capital, and France is a source of such capital on a long-term, structured and development-oriented basis. France is one of the world's leaders in agricultural engineering, food processing, dairy technology, irrigation systems, logistics, and the certification of food standards. Nigerian agriculture desperately needs mechanisation, modern storage, improved value chains, and export-ready processing systems, all areas where French expertise is relevant.
Cooperation in agricultural research, seed development, livestock improvement, grain storage, cold-chain infrastructure and rural electrification can transform the productivity of Nigerian farmers all around. Sustainable farming, climate-smart agriculture and environmental management are also areas where France's capabilities align with Nigeria's urgent needs. As Nigeria confronts rising food inflation, rural insecurity and soil degradation and declining yields, French agricultural partnerships offer practical avenues for resilience and growth.
Nigeria's future lies in technological advancement and comprehensive industrial development. The technological frontier is shifting globally towards artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing, and satellite systems to renewable energy grids. For Nigeria to avoid being left behind, it must partner with countries that sit at or near these frontiers. France is one such country. It hosts several world class and Europe's most innovative technical institutions and high-technology firms. Its experience in space technology, through CNES and the Ariane programme, connects directly with Nigeria's aspirations in satellite communications, earth observation and climate monitoring. Collaboration in navigation systems, satellite deployment, and technical training could accelerate Nigeria's space ambitions.
In the maritime sector, France is a significant security player in the Gulf of Guinea and has advanced capabilities in shipbuilding, ocean surveillance, port modernisation and blue-economy development. Nigeria's coastal security, fisheries management and maritime trade stand to benefit from deeper cooperation with France, whose focus on green technology and implementing the Paris Agreement on climate change is vital to marine development and sustainability. France's advantages in green technology such as in electric mobility, hydrogen, energy-efficient buildings, waste management etc, also offer templates for Nigeria's urban transformation across different landscapes.
Climate change remains a defining global challenge. France has assumed a leadership role in climate diplomacy, including the Paris Agreement cited above, global adaptation financing, biodiversity protection and renewable energy partnerships. Nigeria that sits vulnerably close to the Sahara desert and experiencing frequent flooding, coastal erosion and extreme weather, must work closely with countries that take climate leadership seriously. French climate finance, green-technology partnerships and environmental policy tools can assist Nigeria in building resilience, promoting clean energy and achieving a sustainable development pathway.
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A new type of partnership is now required between Nigeria and France, one that is not based on geopolitical calculations alone, but driven and sustained by rational appreciation of shared advantages and values of mutual cooperation. France's relevance to Nigeria is not a matter of nostalgia or historical sentiment. It is anchored in practical, forward-looking, development-oriented interests. To engage France is to engage a major military, industrial and scientific power with the potential to accelerate our internal transformation. This new partnership should be founded on values and principles that are common to both sides and mutually reinforcing their shared aspirations.
These could be mutual respect for each other; transparency in all their undertakings; shared industrial and technological objectives; collaborative infrastructure and agricultural modernisation; enhanced maritime security; climate resilience and educational and scientific exchange among others. Nigeria must engage France not as a former colonial actor in West Africa and a regional competitor, but as a global power whose capabilities intersect with our development ambitions. Where political tensions exist, they must be managed; where opportunities arise, they must be seized. This is the essence of practical diplomacy.
France remains, despite the turbulence of the Sahel, a state with immense diplomatic, economic, industrial and scientific weight. For Nigeria, the task is not to idealise or demonise France, but to work with that country with clarity and purpose. Our economic future will be shaped by the partnerships we cultivate today, with Africa, with Europe, and with powers that possess the technologies we need to advance. France is one such power. A pragmatic, mutuallyb beneficial engagement with that country is not only desirable; it is essential for Nigeria's long-term economic transformation.
·My next series will be on China and Africa.
