France President Emmanuel Macron has called on Nigeria and other African countries to effectively utilise their potentials for greatness.
Speaking during an interactive session with entrepreneurs from Africa in Lagos on Wednesday, Macron also said the relationship between the continent and Europe is very important that two continents need each other to succeed.
To this end, the French President charged the young generation to change the African narrative.
"This new narrative is to be built now and ideally, it is your responsibility and it is good for Africa and it is good for France because if Africa doesn’t succeed, France and Europe will never succeed in the long run,” he said.
"For two very simple reasons, Europe is not an island and all this migration crisis is exactly due to the fact that we have a common destiny and second, because we have a very important African diaspora in France and the rest of Europe cannot live and develop themselves in France or in Europe if in their country people don’t succeed.”
He promised to support the youth towards achieving the desired objectives, while noting that the new generation has many responsibilities and opportunities to build.
"Nobody has to decide for our future; we are the ones to decide,” the French President told the audience at the gathering, adding, “Nobody has to lecture us, which means that we have to take our responsibilities, think about the legacy, the sustainability of our deeds, and how we should develop our countries,” he added.