Laurent Favier, Consul Général of France in Lagos, and Pierre Andriamampianina, the Deputy Head of Cultural Cooperation, Embassy of France in Nigeria at the France Alumni Day event held at Alliance Francaise in Lagos, recently.
A growing wave of Nigerian students is setting its sights on France for postgraduate and professional education, particularly in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and French officials say they are more than ready to welcome them.
That was the central message at the fourth edition of France Alumni Day, held at Alliance Française Lagos, where a cross-section of alumni, academics, students, employers and business leaders converged to exchange ideas on science, innovation and entrepreneurship.
The event, themed ‘Scientific Talents, Discovery, Innovation and Entrepreneurship,’ drew attention to the expanding pipeline of educational and career opportunities available to Nigerians in France.
Laurent Favier, the Consul General of France in Nigeria, set the tone with a warm assessment of the bilateral relationship between both countries, noting that requests for student mobility from Nigeria to France are rising significantly.
He attributed the surge to intensified French government efforts to promote scientific and technological education among Nigerian youths, describing the development as timely given the pace of global technological advancement.
“STEM as we know it today permeates every facet of our lives, at home, in schools and in the workplace. They sit at the very heart of our modern society, often invisible and yet so embedded that they have become second nature,” Favier said.
He argued that behind every technological leap lies a foundation of knowledge and skills that French universities are well-positioned to provide.
“The technological leap we are experiencing today calls for the development of specific knowledge and skills that businesses need, or will need in the future, to innovate, grow and create value,” he added.
Favier was emphatic that academic credentials alone are insufficient without clear career pathways, which is why the concurrent Career and Employment Fair, featuring close to 20 companies across various sectors, formed a critical part of the day’s programme. “Studying abroad and earning a degree becomes truly worthwhile when connected to professional opportunities and the workplace. International experience can make all the difference,” he said.
He also framed the experience of studying abroad as deeply personal and transformative, one that reshapes not just professional capabilities but also how others perceive returning graduates. “Studying abroad is a chance to step away in order to return stronger. It is an opportunity to meet new people and experience new cultures.
Those who await your return will find you both the same and transformed and that transformation is precisely what France Alumni Day is about,” he stated.
Pierre Andriamampianina, Deputy Head of Cultural Cooperation at the Embassy of France in Nigeria, offered a more targeted perspective, stressing that France’s recruitment strategy is driven less by volume and more by motivation and purpose.
“Our goal is not just to increase the number, we are more focused on quality. We want really motivated students, students who want to come back and develop Nigeria,” he said.
Andriamampianina described Nigeria as a country of strategic opportunity in the eyes of French higher institutions, noting that feedback from universities consistently places Nigerian students at the top of their classes.
“Nigeria is seen as a country of opportunity. Considering the good relationship between our governments, it’s a place that France really looks at right now. The feedback we have from universities is that Nigerian students are always among the best students, in the top ten of each class,” he said.
He also urged prospective students to adopt a bold, open-minded approach to the process. “Studying abroad gives opportunity, increases one’s creativity, helps develop self-confidence, proactivity and helps open doors, but you must change your mindset.
“Studying abroad means leaving your comfort zone but it’s a good return on investment. There are many scholarships available; please keep applying. Without trying, you can’t achieve anything,” he said.
The panel session, featuring four Nigerian alumni of French institutions, brought the conversation closest to home, offering firsthand accounts of how education in France had reshaped careers and widened horizons.
Sultan Sunmola, an alumnus of INSEAD Business School and co-founder, Robo Nish Technologies, credited his French education with cultivating the entrepreneurial mindset that now drives his work.
He described France as home to some of the world’s finest business schools and dismissed concerns about migration and language barriers, saying the country is welcoming and supportive toward international students. “French culture and education can help you break geographical barriers,” he said.
Henry Eze, who attended Audencia Business School, spoke to the cross-industry value of skills acquired in France, describing how training that was originally focused on agribusiness enabled him to transition seamlessly into technology consulting.
“France helped me see how value chains work and how processes work. Technology is majorly about processes and solutions, and I was able to transfer those skills into the tech industry,” he explained.
For Ini-Obong Antaih, an alumna of HEC Business School, what stood out beyond the academics were the practical support structures France offers international students, from accommodation and transportation discounts to access to cultural institutions. “France really welcomes students,” she said enthusiastically.
She also made a case for learning the French language, describing it as a career differentiator in an increasingly multilingual professional world.
“Many companies today want people who can interact across African regions. Saying you speak English and French becomes an added advantage for your career and networking opportunities,” she noted.
Grace Tolu Ojo, who studied at the University of Lille, rounded off the panel by sharing how her French education unlocked a career in sports management and gave her the extraordinary opportunity to volunteer at the Paris 2024 Olympics, an experience that encapsulated the broader possibilities that study in France can open up.
Beyond the panel discussions, the event featured extensive networking sessions and an interactive career fair where students engaged directly with representatives from about 18 organisations.
Participants also explored avenues for academic collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurship between Nigeria and France, underscoring the event’s ambition to move beyond inspiration toward tangible, lasting outcomes.
