- The President acknowledged the signing of a €100 million agreement between Nigeria and France to support the i-DICE programme
Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has commended the strengthening of bilateral relations between Nigeria and France, noting that the progress followed his visit to Paris after his inauguration.
On Friday in Abuja, the President, during a meeting with the French Presidential Envoy, conveyed appreciation to France for the restitution of $150 million filched from Nigeria by former Head of State, General Sani Abacha.
In addition to the recovery of another tranche of Abacha loot, the President acknowledged the signing of a €100 million agreement between Nigeria and France to support the i-DICE programme, a federal government initiative to promote investment in the information and communications technology (ICT) and creative arts industries.
The agreement was signed by Dr. Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Technology, and the French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs.
“Thank you for the good news on the return of Abacha loot. We appreciate your effective cooperation concerning the return of Nigeria’s money. It will be judiciously applied in attaining our development objectives,” the President told Catherine Colonna, the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, who delivered the news.
The President, while emphasising the need to reinforce collaboration on both political and economic fronts, welcomed the growing cooperation between the two countries in areas of shared interest, such as climate change, economic integration, education, and culture.
On the situation in the Niger Republic, President Tinubu, who is the Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, said Nigeria is monitoring the situation in the neighbouring country and exploring diplomatic channels to avoid bloodshed.
“Leadership is about responding to the needs of the people, their cries, and their frustrations. Nigeria shares a border with Niger across the expanse of seven Nigerian states, and most of these states are very populated. Therefore, I need to guide ECOWAS carefully and steadily so that we manage our anger carefully.
”We have a colleague and a democratically elected leader, President Bazoum, being used as a human shield. If we are not careful, he and his family can be endangered.”