Zacharopoulou Inaugurates Access Bank’s French Desk

The French Minister of State for Development, Francophonie and International Partnerships, Mrs Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, last Thursday joined Group Managing Director and CEO of Access Corporation, Dr Herbert Wigwe and Managing Director and CEO of Access Bank Plc, Mr Roosevelt Ogbonna, for the launching of the Access Bank French Desk.

Following the opening in Paris earlier this month of the first subsidiary of Access Bank in the European Union, the French Desk is based at the headquarters of Access Bank in Lagos. 

He congratulated Wigwe who is also Chairman of the France Nigeria Business Council, and welcomed the signing of an agreement with Business France Nigeria to partner on the French Desk. 

Zacharopoulou said, “this initiative illustrates the huge dynamism and potential of the economic ties between Nigeria and France, which have been continuously strengthened since President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Nigeria in 2018.  This desk will further strenghten an already substantial economic partnership and benefit companies from both countries, including SMEs.

Nigeria is France’s first trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa, as it alone accounts for 22% of France’s trade with that region.  Nigeria also accounts for nearly 60% of the stock of French investment in West Africa and 17% of the French FDI stock in Africa.  Around 100 French companies are established in Nigeria, generating around 10,000 direct jobs as well as training.  France’s presence is particularly diverse in Energy, Agrifood, Pharmaceuticals, Logistics, Tech, Microfinance amongst others.