*L-R: Adora Umeoji, Managing Director, Zenith Bank; Tunde Folawiyo, Chairman, Coronation Merchant Bank; Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, President, France Nigeria Business Council (FNBC) and Chairman, Access Holdings; Jean-Noël Barrot, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs; Jean Haas, Secretary General, FNBC, and Innocent Ike, Group Managing Director/CEO, Access Holdings, at the ministerial luncheon on the sidelines of Creation Africa 2025 Forum, which held in Lagos …recently
The Création Africa 2025 Forum concluded in Lagos after three days of high-level dialogue, exhibitions, and artistic showcases that celebrated Africa’s creative power and deepened France–Nigeria relations, following its successful debut produced by Mansa productions in Paris in 2023.
Held from October 16–18, 2025, at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, the programme brought together over 3,000 young creatives, entrepreneurs, and innovators from across Anglophone and Francophone Africa. It served as a platform to celebrate African creativity and accelerate collaboration between artists, financiers, and policymakers shaping the continent’s digital and cultural economy.
Organised by the French Embassy in Nigeria under President Emmanuel Macron’s Maison des Mondes Africains initiative, Création Africa 2025 edition was supported by the France–Nigeria Business Council (FNBC) and featured a dynamic mix of panel sessions, exhibitions, and mentorship engagements under the theme “Technology Meets Creativity: Building Africa’s Creative Economy.”
The event was officially opened by Jean-Joël Barrot, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, who reaffirmed France’s long-standing commitment to supporting Africa’s creative and entrepreneurial ecosystems. He noted that his engagements in Nigeria reflected France’s strategic intention to strengthen cooperation with the Nigerian government and the FNBC as a critical platform for advancing bilateral trade, innovation, and sustainable partnerships.
As part of the high-level engagements, the France–Nigeria Business Council held its 9th Council Meeting, chaired by Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede CFR, Chairman, Access Holdings Plc, with distinguished Nigerian and French business leaders in attendance. Discussions focused on expanding investment cooperation, financing creative-industry infrastructure, and deepening partnerships in finance, agribusiness, energy, and technology.
Following the council meeting, a ministerial luncheon was held at Alliance Française, where the French Minister discussed France’s continued support for Nigeria’s sustainable development priorities, highlighting the planned €400 million ‘Omi Eko Project’, which aims to enhance Lagos’ urban infrastructure and environmental resilience, with a projected reduction of 31,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually once implemented.
In his remarks, Aig-Imoukhuede commended the French Government’s commitment to Nigeria and underscored the FNBC’s mission to serve as a bridge of commerce and creativity between both countries. He emphasised the importance of private-sector collaboration in accelerating investment, innovation, and youth empowerment across Africa’s key growth sectors.
Barrot commended the Council’s role in fostering bilateral partnerships and invited FNBC members to participate actively in the forthcoming France–Africa Business Forum in Nairobi (2026), the Paris International Agricultural Show 2026, and other major France–Africa cooperation programmes.
Later that evening, Aig-Imoukhuede featured as a speaker during a session titled, “From Idea to Business: How to Put Creativity at the Heart of the Game.” Moderated by Maria Adorante, the conversation explored the intersection of creativity, finance, and technology in shaping Africa’s entrepreneurial future.
“When I think about Africa and the future of our continent, two things come to mind, our youth and our creativity,” he said. “Africa is a cultural superpower, and our responsibility is to build systems that allow this creative energy to transform economies and shape the future of our continent.”
He emphasised that entrepreneurship and artistry share the same DNA of imagination, discipline, and the courage to create impact.
“Every entrepreneur must remember, it’s not what you feel about your idea that counts; it’s what the consumer feels that matters,” he noted. “You must be brave enough to test your ideas, take feedback, and refine them until they change lives.”
As a co-sponsor of Création Africa 2025, Access Holdings reaffirmed its strategic commitment to championing creativity, innovation, and youth development across Africa. Through its subsidiaries and initiatives, the Group continues to invest in platforms that empower Africa’s creative and cultural industries, including the Access Creative Hub and its collaboration with Tate Modern (London) celebrating Nigerian modernist arts featuring over 250 works by more than 50 Nigerian artists, including Ben Enwonwu, Ladi Kwali, Yusuf Grillo and Uzo Egonu, reflects Access Holdings’ dedication to amplifying African narratives and celebrating the continent’s artistic heritage on a global stage.
“Africa’s prosperity will be defined as much by our creative spirit as by our economic ambition,” said Aig-Imoukhuede.
Access Holdings operates across banking, pensions, lending, payments and insurance, but its purpose extends beyond finance, towards making a positive impact in Africa.
