FMN Expands France-Nigeria Trade Push at Paris Agricultural Show

Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN) has used the 62nd Paris International Agricultural Show to deepen commercial links between Nigeria and France, with company executives saying the engagement will support trade, technical exchange and long-term agro-industrial growth.

The exhibition, also known as Salon International de l’Agriculture, opened on February 21, 2026 and is scheduled to end on March 1, 2026. FMN returned as sponsor and partner after taking part in the 2024 edition, and it joined other Nigerian businesses at the country’s pavilion in Paris.

FMN said its role at the event aligns with the work of the France–Nigeria Business Council (FNBC), where it is a member. The council is focused on building business cooperation between both countries across investment, industry and trade development.

Group Chairman of FMN, Mr. John G. Coumantaros, said the partnership continues to create value for both sides.

“The France–Nigeria relationship is a valuable partnership built on a shared value agenda that fosters remarkable intercontinental trade growth.

“Also, as an organisation with over six decades of transformational footprint in Nigeria and progressively across the African continent, FMN has been unwaveringly committed to product and process innovation.

“Therefore, our continuous partnership with France for the success of the Paris International Agricultural Show further buttresses the thriving relationship between both countries.”

This year’s fair carries the theme, ‘Generations Solution’, with organisers highlighting cross-generational knowledge transfer and stronger use of innovation and technology in agriculture.

At the inauguration of the Nigerian Pavilion on February 23, Managing Director, FMN Agro, and Director, Strategic Engagement/Stakeholder Relations, Mr. Sadiq Usman, said the company views global collaboration as central to its operating mandate.

“At FMN, our mission is Feeding and Enriching Lives Every Day. This is a mandate we have fulfilled through decades of economic shifts, rooted in a culture of deep resilience and constant innovation.

“We support this pavilion because FMN recognises that the next frontier of global agribusiness lies in high-level technical exchange. We thank the France-Nigeria Business Council (FNBC), the organisers of the PIAS, and our fellow members of the Nigerian Pavilion – Dangote, BUA, Zenith, Access, and our partners at Creativo El Matador and Soilless Farm Lab; we are exceedingly pleased to work to showcase the true face of Nigerian commerce.”

Senior business leaders present at the event included Founder and Group Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Jim Ovia, Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Dame Adaora Umeoji, Chief of Staff to the Chairman of FMN, Ms. Anastasia Athanasiou, and Secretary to the FNBC, Mr. Jean Haas.

FMN, which has operated in Nigeria for more than six decades, said its participation reflects a wider objective: strengthening food systems at home while widening Nigeria’s trade footprint through economic diplomacy and practical business partnerships.