Macron
Iyunade Grace
French President Emmanuel Macron announced €23 billion in investment commitments for Africa at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi on May 11, 2026.
The total includes €14 billion from French public and private entities and €9 billion from African investors. The funds are targeted at energy transition, digital and AI, the maritime economy, and agriculture. Macron said the investments would create about 250,000 direct jobs in both France and Africa.
The two-day Africa Forward summit was co-hosted by Macron and Kenyan President William Ruto in Nairobi. It’s the first time France has held the summit in an English-speaking African country, a shift as Paris looks to rebuild ties after setbacks in Francophone West Africa. More than 30 African heads of state attended, including Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu and business leaders like Aliko Dangote.
Macron framed the investments as part of a “partnership of equals” and said France no longer wants to be seen as just an aid donor. He called for African business leaders to also invest in France, saying the relationship should be free of “hang-ups.
Ahead of the summit he told _The Africa Report_ that colonialism alone can’t explain Africa’s current challenges, and urged African leaders to improve governance. He also said Europe defends multilateralism and free trade, positioning it as a more reliable partner than China and the US.
On the sidelines, Kenya and France signed 11 agreements covering nuclear energy, transport modernization, and sustainable agriculture. French shipping firm CMA CGM also announced a €700 million investment to modernize Mombasa port. Macron added that the return of African artworks looted during colonialism had become “unstoppable” after French parliament passed a new law on restitution.
The summit runs May 11-12 under the theme “Africa Forward: Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth.
