Abdul Samad Rabiu, Founder and President of the BUA Group, one of the largest food, mining, manufacturing and infrastructure companies in Africahas been re-elected Chairman of the France Nigeria Business Council by President Emmanuel Macron of France.
This was announced at the July 2022 meeting of the Business Council of France and Nigeria held in Paris.
Addressing the council, Mr. Rabiu thanked members for coming and commented that it was a personal honor for him to be part of the France Nigeria Business Council.
He said that it was also a privilege to serve as the pioneer chair of the Council that was inaugurated just over a year ago and now to be re-elected as chair.
He also thanked President Macron for his support and for reappointing him and Jean Haas de Relais (France) as President of the Council and Head of the Secretariat, respectively.
The France Nigeria Business Council brings together leading Nigerian and French companies with the aim of enhancing business relations between Nigeria and France while ensuring routine cooperation that will generate immense economic benefits for both countries.
The French members of the council include the global CEOs of Total Energies, Dassault, Axens, Accor, CMA, among others, and from 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, Dr. Herbert Wigwe of Access Bank Group, Philip Mshelbila of NLNG, Senator Daisy Danjuma of Sapetro and May & Baker, and Abdul Samad Rabiu of BUA Group & Initiative Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa (ASR Africa), who is the current president.
Speaking further, Mr. Rabiu praised the progress the France Nigeria Business Council has made since its inception and the commitment of members, despite the slow global recovery, in pushing forward various partnerships.
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These include plans by some of Nigeria’s largest banks to establish subsidiaries in France and BUA’s partnership with France’s Axens to build a 200,000 bpd refinery in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, among other key member projects.
Mr. Rabiu also encouraged the members of this council to continue looking for partnership opportunities, while planning, working together and adding value to each other so that the successes already being created can scale for the mutual economic benefit of Nigeria, the economy. largest in Africa and France. a world economic leader.
Working sub-committees and sectoral groups are also expected to be created during Mr. Rabiu’s current term to improve the effectiveness of the council.