Paris has committed to return to Nigeria $150 million in monies linked to the late General Sani Abacha that have been frozen in France. During a news appearance in Abuja, Ms. Catherine Colonna, the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, made this announcement.
Colonna emphasized that France’s decision to return these funds is a concrete step aimed at bolstering bilateral relations between the two countries. She stated, “France will return to Nigeria assets stolen from the Nigerian people by Abacha and his family that have been frozen in France. We will commence discussions with the Nigerian administration to allocate these $150 million to development projects that will benefit the population, aligning with the priorities of the Nigerian government.”
This commitment stems from a formal request submitted by the Nigerian Ministry of Justice to the government of France, marking a cooperative effort to address this longstanding issue.
Ms. Colonna further stressed the significance of reinforcing the partnership between Nigeria and France over the past year and expressed a desire to deepen these relations even further. She noted her recent meeting with President Bola Tinubu, which focused on various facets of their bilateral partnership and addressed major regional and global challenges.
“I thanked him for participating in the summit on a New Global Financing Pact that we hosted in Paris in June,” Colonna said. “More broadly, I acknowledged the irreplaceable role of Nigeria in global governance.”
As Africa’s leading economy, Nigeria stands as France’s primary trading partner in Sub-Saharan Africa. This commitment to return Abacha’s looted funds not only rectifies past injustices but also serves as a testament to the growing cooperation between France and Nigeria.
