Nigeria and France are seeking to deepen cooperation in the oil and gas sector, with industry stakeholders calling for increased investment, technology transfer, local content development and infrastructure improvements to unlock Nigeria’s energy potential.
The call was made at an energy roundtable held as part of the 2026 French Week, organised by the Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, according to a statement issued on Tuesday.
Participants drawn from the energy industry, government and diplomatic community identified gas development, energy transition, decarbonisation and regulatory stability as key areas for strengthening economic ties and expanding cooperation between the two countries.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of TotalEnergies Nigeria, Matthieu Bouyer, said the energy sector presented significant opportunities to strengthen the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and France.
Bouyer said TotalEnergies, which has operated in Nigeria for 70 years, remained committed to strengthening local capacity, supporting Nigerian contractors and building long-term partnerships.
He said, “We see Nigeria not just as a market, but as a long-term investment destination where we continue to develop people, work with local contractors and build partnerships.”
He added that more than 100 French companies operate in Nigeria across sectors such as energy, infrastructure, logistics, technology, agriculture and consumer goods, collectively providing thousands of jobs.
He added that bilateral trade between Nigeria and France stood at approximately $4.7bn in 2025, highlighting the potential for deeper trade and commercial ties between the two countries.
Bouyer identified energy transition and decarbonisation, gas infrastructure and domestic utilisation, as well as technology transfer and local content development as three key areas requiring stronger collaboration between Nigeria and France.
He said Nigeria’s energy transition should reflect its development priorities, particularly the need to expand energy supply while progressively reducing carbon emissions.
According to him, improved gas recovery, methane emissions reduction and greater energy efficiency could deliver both environmental and economic benefits.
