November 24, (THEWILL) – To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the French Tech Mission, France’s Minister for Foreign Trade, Economic Attractiveness and French Nationals Abroad, Olivier Becht, took part in a panel organised by the French Tech Lagos at the Nigerian incubator Impact Hub, on Friday, November 24.
The French Tech Mission is responsible for supporting the structuring and growth of the French start-up ecosystem in France and all around the world. The French Tech Lagos was officially launched last May with the objective of bringing together key players from the French and Nigerian tech ecosystems to network, share ideas, and explore new opportunities for collaboration and investments.
The panel underlined the achievement of the French Tech Mission this last decade, including its presence in 52 countries. The Minister also pointed out the commitment of France to support the Nigerian digital ecosystem, notably through the French Agency for Development (AFD) €100 million contribution to the Nigerian I-Dice programme, which contributes to the development of digital and creative enterprises.
The Minister also emphasised that France is a European powerhouse in entrepreneurship and innovation, with OECD ranking it as the most attractive country in Europe for start-up founders and third globally, behind Canada and the United States.
To attract tech entrepreneurs’ talents from around the world and make them benefit from the dynamism of the French ecosystem, French Tech created the French Tech Visa, a simplified and accelerated procedure for investors, founders and employees of non-European start-ups wishing to set up in France.
A “Welcome to la French Tech” office also offers personalised support to facilitate the setting-up process, while the “French Tech International Community” at Station F (the biggest tech incubator in Europe) in Paris offers advice on practical and professional aspects of life in France.
The Minister stated that France wants to attract but also cooperate with the best international talents in tech, of which Nigeria is part.
This cooperation was well illustrated through the panel, which gathered the French tech start-up Koolboks (Deborah Gael), part of the French Tech Lagos, which just received N1.5 million from the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM) to expand their factory of intelligent solar freezers in Lagos.
The Nigerian start-ups PamAfrica (Patrick Agese) and Gas360 (Jane Ekeh) also took the floor. The first has a partnership with the French JUNIA engineering school for its data analytics and works with the French tech start-up Jirogasy for its solar computers. As for Gas360, it decided to settle its R&D centre in Orange’s incubator in the South of France, next to Airbus Headquarters, to take advantage of the innovative environment.
Finally, the French global tech venture capital fund Partech (Tito Cookey-Gam), announced the opening of its Nigerian office this month in Lagos, considering Nigeria as a key country for investing in African tech.
In general, the panel session, which was the climax of the event, demonstrated the new strategy of France to foster mutual economic ties with Nigeria in the tech sector.
About the Author
Janefrances Ebere Chibuzor is a Tourism Writer at THEWILL
