Tired and some 30 kilos lighter but otherwise none the worse for wear following his ordeal, Francis Collomp has arrived back in France.

He was kidnapped in December 2012 by Ansaru guerillas in Nigeria, but reportedly managed to escape, although details have not been released and no press conference was held.

However Collomp was greeted on his return to French soil by both prime and foreign ministers along with family members, with his arrival broadcast on news television.

The French have not confirmed if any ransom was paid for his release.

The Ansaru Islamist fighters are the local al-Qaeda affiliate, one of several now operating on the edges of the south Sahara and posing problems for several governments.

French hostages are currently being held in Nigeria and in Mali, where the French have intervened militarily to prevent an Islamist insurgent/Northern rebel takeover.