France: An underrated power in a misunderstood world (I)

“France cannot be France without greatness”, Charles de Gaulle

France is simultaneously underrated and misunderstood in today’s global power hierarchy. Overshadowed by the United States, China and Russia, playing roles largely within the structures of the European Union and NATO Alliance, and viewed in Africa (particularly West Africa) largely through the emotional lens of its colonial legacy, France’s contemporary capabilities are often overlooked. Yet when France is assessed comprehensively across military strength, economic resilience, diplomatic reach, technological capacity, cultural influence, sports achievement, civilisational role and global networks, a different picture emerges: France remains one of the world’s most consequential states.

It is this reality, frequently obscured by sentiment or hostility that has motivated the present series of articles. I have never lived in France or desired to do so. I have only visited the country mostly for short duration only. The purpose of writing this series is neither to romanticise France nor to whitewash its brutal colonial history. Rather, it is to introduce objectivity and nuance into a contemporary debate that has become increasingly polarised. While these essays may not dispel deeply held opinions about France’s past or its perceived predatory role in Africa, they aim to illuminate another dimension—one that speaks to France’s enduring presence in global affairs and its significance in the 21st century.

Many people today would not readily place France among the great powers. This reluctance stems partly from historical memory. France’s rapid collapse in the Second World War and its painful defeat in Indochina remain etched in the global imagination. Since then, France has not projected military power with the pugnacious decisiveness characteristic of the United States. But to judge France solely by episodic military outcomes is to misunderstand the foundations of modern power. A fuller examination shows a state whose influence is both broader and deeper than often assumed.

France today sits comfortably among what might be called “first rate powers,” endowed with “major-power” capabilities. It possesses the strongest military in the European Union and one of the most capable in NATO after the United States. It is one of only few nuclear-armed nations, maintaining an independent nuclear triad of submarine-launched and air-launched missiles. Germany, Europe’s economic titan, has even floated the possibility of relying on France’s nuclear umbrella in future security contingencies, a remarkable testament to French strategic relevance.

The French Armed Forces are among the few outside the United States with true global deployment capacity. With a modern advanced naval fleet including an aircraft carrier, advanced Rafale fighter jets, sophisticated space-surveillance systems, cyber-warfare units, and elite intelligence services, France can project power from the Sahel to the Indo-Pacific. Yet it often does so quietly, within multilateral frameworks, and without the theatrical displays that dominate American interventions for instance. This understated posture contributes to the misconception that France is less potent than it truly is.

France’s economic reputation suffers a similar distortion. Budget travails, parliamentary revolts, labour unrest and regulatory strictness dominate global headlines, giving the impression of stagnation and instability. But beneath these surface tensions lies a robust democracy with a diversified economy that is the world’s seventh-largest, according to the IMF and World Bank. France is a global leader in aerospace engineering, nuclear technology, rail transport, pharmaceuticals, civil construction, luxury manufacturing, and defence industries. Its success in hosting the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, with over €6 billion invested in infrastructure and services, reflects a high level of organisational and financial competence.

Energy independence remains one of France’s most underrated advantages. Thanks to its vast nuclear capacity, France is one of the few major economies shielded from severe energy shocks. Its global companies many of which are on Fortune Global 500 Index, like TotalEnergies, Electricite de France, AXA, BNP Paribas, LVMH, Air France, Carrefour and others, stand as demonstrations of French corporate strength and global reach. Being underestimated can offer strategic benefits, but it also obscures the reality of France’s significance. While Germany’s industrial might often overshadows it, France remains a formidable industrial and innovation power house in its own right, with a strong agricultural sector that gives it near self-sufficiency in food production.

As Nigeria repositions itself within West Africa and the broader world, a sober reassessment of France becomes necessary. Understanding France’s evolving capabilities in military, economic, diplomatic, cultural, scientific and technological arenas, enables us to engage that country objectively, free from the distortions of colonial memory or contemporary emotional rhetoric. This introduction sets the stage for a deeper, more comprehensive examination of France’s role in geopolitics, civilisational influence, and economic power; subjects explored fully in the three-part series that follows.

France may be misunderstood, but it is far from insignificant. To grasp its true place in the world is to understand not only a major European state but a civilisational actor whose relevance endures across centuries. For Nigeria, this understanding is not an academic exercise but a strategic necessity.

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