Nigeria, France Target Higher Energy Investments to Boost Trade

By Trending9ja Staff • November 3, 2026 • 1 min read

Nigeria and France are looking to expand their economic ties through deeper investments in the energy, oil, and gas sectors. According to Punch, this focus was highlighted during an energy discussion organised by the Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry to mark the 2026 French Week.

Industry experts, government representatives, and members of the diplomatic community at the forum emphasised gas expansion, energy transition, decarbonisation, and clear regulatory guidelines as essential drivers for future collaboration between both nations.

Speaking at the event, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of TotalEnergies Nigeria, Matthieu Bouyer, noted that the French energy firm has functioned in the country for 70 years. He revealed that over 100 French enterprises currently operate in Nigeria across different sectors such as technology, agriculture, infrastructure, and energy, providing thousands of employment opportunities. Bouyer also mentioned that trade between both countries hit around $4.7 billion in 2025.

Bouyer pointed out key areas requiring mutual effort, including gas infrastructure development, carbon reduction, and technical knowledge sharing. He explained that Nigeria needs to boost its power supply while gradually lowering carbon output, adding that natural gas remains vital for power generation, local manufacturing, and exports.

Also addressing the gathering, the Managing Director of Nigeria LNG Limited, Adeleye Falade, underlined the strategic role of natural gas in driving national industrialisation. He disclosed that Nigeria possesses roughly 215 trillion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserves, with unproven resources estimated at nearly 600 trillion cubic feet.

Sources: Punch