BUA founder gets Macron’s nod to head France Nigeria Business Council again

BY Business a.m.

French President Emmanuel Macron has reappointed Abdul Samad Rabiu, founder and chairman of BUA Group, as president of the France Nigeria Business Council.

This was announced at the July 2022 Meeting of the France Nigeria Business Council held in Paris.

Addressing the council, Abdul Samad Rabiu thanked members for coming and remarked that it was a personal honour for him to be a part of the France Nigeria Business Council, and also a privilege to serve as the pioneer president of the Council which was inaugurated just over a year ago and now get reappointed as president.

He also thanked President Macron for his support and for reappointing him as president of the Council as well as Jean Haas of Relais (France) as head of the Secretariat.

The France Nigeria Business Council 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 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) on the Nigerian side.

Speaking further, Rabiu praised the progress that has been made by the France Nigeria Business Council since its inauguration and the commitment of members, despite slow global recovery, in pushing forward with various partnerships. 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.

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