VP Osinbajo, others attend Nigeria-France Business forum in Abuja | See Photos!

Nigeria’s Vice president Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday attended Nigeria – France Business and  Investment Forum dinner in Abuja.

Speaking with State House correspondents, Mrs Modupe Irele, Nigeria’s Ambassador to France, said the forum was to make sure that French investors understood the processes of setting up businesses in Nigeria. According to her, the meeting is also aimed at making it easier for French investors to operate in Nigeria.

“Nigeria’s initiative of ease of doing business is part of understanding the agencies that are involved; the processes that are involved, the opportunities and to a large extent the responsibilities.

“ It is a two-way relationship- France-Nigeria, Nigeria-France; this cannot be done with one party very far away.

“ So, we brought them here to know the lay of the land; to meet the key players and also to get to know Nigerians and business people themselves,’’ she said.

On his part, Mr Jean-Roch Boquet, Marketing Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa, SODIAAL Diary Co-operative, said the company wanted to understand Nigeria.

SODIAAL is a French Co-operative, owned by farmers; it deals with cows and produces milk and other dairy products.

According to Boquet, it is to better understand all about the market; not only the consumers, but the regulations.

“The right people to know; to facilitate the local settlement of a potential facility and to put a highlight on what is possible for France to do in the dairy sector and to contribute to the development of this sector locally in Nigeria,’’ he said.

He said, though he did not know Nigeria well, he saw a tremendous dynamism of the people and the Nigerian economy.