Esther Oseyiomon
Africa and France have unveiled more than €23 billion in investment commitments and strategic partnerships at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, marking what leaders described as a major reset in relations between both sides amid shifting global alliances and growing competition for influence across the continent.
The two-day summit, held from May 11 to 12, 2026, brought together more than 30 African Heads of State, diplomats, investors, multinational corporations and technology innovators under the theme “Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth.”
At the centre of discussions was France’s push to move away from traditional aid-based relations towards investment-driven partnerships focused on infrastructure, artificial intelligence, agriculture, renewable energy, healthcare, industrialisation and digital transformation.
According to summit documents, the €23 billion investment package is expected to generate about 250,000 direct jobs across Africa and France, with billions of euros targeted at sectors considered critical to Africa’s future economic growth.
One of the summit’s biggest deals was the €3 billion acquisition of MultiChoice by French media giant Canal+, while TotalEnergies committed €2 billion towards renewable energy and gas projects across Africa. EDF also unveiled energy projects worth over €1.2 billion tied to hydroelectric and solar infrastructure development.
Africa’s digital economy also attracted major investments, with Orange announcing plans to establish 50 Digital Centres across Africa to train young Africans in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and data science. Another major project announced was a submarine internet cable expected to connect Europe with several African countries by 2030.
Agriculture and food security received more than €1 billion in commitments targeting agribusiness expansion, dairy production, food systems and agricultural financing, while the healthcare sector secured major investments including a €600 million pan-African hospital programme and new pharmaceutical manufacturing partnerships.
The summit also produced key political agreements aimed at strengthening Africa-France cooperation on trade, climate financing, youth empowerment, peace and regional security. A major outcome was the launch of the Africa-France Impact Coalition, bringing together more than 40 African and French companies representing about €100 billion in turnover and over 600,000 jobs across Africa.
French President Emmanuel Macron described the summit as the beginning of a “new generation partnership” built on mutual respect and shared opportunities, while Kenyan President William Ruto said the summit could redefine Africa’s economic future through innovation, investment and strategic global partnerships.
Analysts say the summit represents one of France’s strongest attempts yet to rebuild and reposition its influence in Africa through economic diplomacy as global powers intensify competition for access to African markets, technology sectors and natural resources.