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Tayo Busayo

 

 

DAILY COURIER – President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Abdul-Samad Rabiu, Chairman of BUA Group, on his reappointment as President of the France-Nigeria Business Council (FNBC) by the President of France, Emmanuel Macron.

 

BUA Group is one of Africa’s largest foods, mining, manufacturing and infrastructure companies.

 

The President’s congratulatory message was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday, by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

 

Buhari commended Rabiu for his very pivotal role in nudging forward, the objectives of the association inaugurated a year ago, and for retaining the trust and confidence of members of the strategic council.

 

President Buhari acknowledged with delight that under one year of Rabiu’s leadership, the council had recorded appreciable progress in plans by some of Nigeria’s biggest banks, to set up subsidiaries in France, BUA’s partnership with Axes France to build a 200,000bpd refinery in Akwa Ibom, among others.

 

He assured the Chairman of BUA and pioneer president of the council of Federal Government’s unflinching support as top business leaders continued to build strategic partnerships aimed at improving business relations between the two countries.

 

President Buhari also lauded the efforts of the council for supporting the economic programme of government in the areas of infrastructural development, agriculture, power, job and wealth creation.

 

According to him, the focus of this administration’s economic diplomacy is attracting foreign investments into the country, which makes the ordinary Nigerian a prime beneficiary.

 

Buhari assured Nigerians and all foreign policy stakeholders that having reaped the benefits of major investments into the country in the last seven years, his administration would continue to vigorously promote Nigeria as a preferred and attractive destination to international investors.

 

The FNBC brings together the top businesses in Nigeria and France with a goal of improving business relations between Nigeria and France whilst ensuring routine cooperation that will bring about immense economic benefits for both countries.

 

French members of the council include the global chief executives of Total Energies, Dassault, Axens, Accor, CMA, amongst others and on the Nigerian side, Mike Adenuga of Globacom & Conoil, Jim Ovia of Zenith Bank, Gilbert Chagoury of Chagoury Group, Aliko Dangote of Dangote Group, 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, and Abdul Samad Rabiu of BUA Group & the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa), who is the current president.