Nigeria and the United Kingdom have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and translating existing agreements into tangible outcomes across security, trade, investment, agriculture and other strategic sectors.
The commitment was made during a meeting between the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Ahmed, and the Director-General, Diplomatic Network of the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Ms Christiana Scott, in Abuja.
In a statement issued by the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oluwafemi Adeniyi, discussions focused on consolidating the longstanding relations between both countries and advancing commitments arising from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s last State Visit to the UK.
Ambassador Ahmed identified the Defence and Security Partnership, alongside the Migration, Justice and Home Affairs Dialogue, as key frameworks for strengthening coordination and monitoring progress on shared priorities.
Ambassador Ahmed highlighted opportunities for expanded cooperation in solid minerals, agriculture, renewable energy, transport and industry, emphasising the importance of local value addition, technology transfer, job creation and sustainable economic growth.
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He also called for improved access to the UK market through easing of restrictions on Nigerian products.
The Permanent Secretary outlined the Four Ds of President Tinubu’s foreign policy priorities; Demography, Development, Diaspora and Democracy, highlighting the strategic importance of Nigerians in the diaspora in advancing economic cooperation and deepening people-to-people ties.
On regional and continental affairs, Ahmed reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to African-led solutions to regional challenges, strengthening the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), as well as implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to accelerate economic integration across the continent.
He stressed the need for a structured follow-up mechanism to ensure that bilateral agreements translate into measurable results.
The Permanent Secretary emphasised the importance of “clear timelines, institutional responsibilities and measurable targets” to ensure effective implementation of the agreements reached by both countries.
In her remarks, Ms Christiana Scott acknowledged Nigeria’s economic reform efforts and expressed the UK’s interest in facilitating greater participation by British businesses in emerging investment opportunities in Nigeria.
She also disclosed plans for business engagements in Lagos, including discussions on investment opportunities in the port sector.
The UK official reiterated her country’s commitment to supporting regional security and stability, particularly through its Sahel strategy, which prioritises diplomatic engagement, humanitarian assistance and economic resilience.
Both sides emphasised the need to address the underlying socioeconomic drivers of insecurity alongside conventional security measures.
They also reaffirmed their shared commitment to combating terrorism, violent extremism and transnational security threats through enhanced intelligence-sharing, technological support and institutional capacity-building.
The meeting further provided an opportunity for both countries to exchange views on democratic governance, credible electoral processes and the growing challenges posed by misinformation and artificial intelligence-generated content.
Discussions also covered preparations for the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and Barbuda, including dialogue on the historical legacy of the transatlantic slave trade.
Other areas of cooperation identified included food security, rail infrastructure, electrification, climate action, green finance and agricultural value chains.
The Ministry added that both countries agreed to sustain diplomatic engagement, strengthen institutional cooperation and pursue practical partnerships for their mutual benefit.
