Johnson spoke on Thursday in Owerri at the ongoing Imo economic
summit.

The former PM hailed the relationship between Nigeria and
the UK, saying it is sustained by a vibrant flow of talent moving in both
directions.

“I’m very proud of what we export to Nigeria. 
We send you pharmaceuticals
and bankers and services of all kinds, automotive parts, all sorts of things,
and whisky – huge quantities of whisky,” he said.

“And you send us so much in return — oil and gas; Nollywood
movies; brilliant, brilliant doctors and nurses; technicians; and tech geniuses
from Nigeria come to the UK, and we’re very grateful and honoured.

“And we send you former United Kingdom prime ministers, and
you send us a future United Kingdom prime minister in the form of Kemi
Badenoch, who comes from Nigeria and is doing better and better these days.”

Johnson’s comments come as the Tories eye him as one of
Badenoch’s possible successors after polls showed the party almost evenly
divided over the prospect of the British-Nigerian politician leading it into
the next UK general election.

Discussions about replacing Badenoch began to grow after the
party’s poll ratings dipped ahead of the local elections held in May.

The projections turned out accurate, with the Tories
recording only 15 percent of the vote in the elections. It was their worst
result since 1995.

An October poll revealed small but significant traces of
discontent against Badenoch.

Other candidates of choice to succeed Badenoch include
Robert Jenrick, right-wing shadow justice secretary and her rival at the 2024
leadership election, and James Cleverly, shadow housing secretary.

Although Johnson praised Badenoch as a talent from Nigeria,
the Tory leader had said she no longer identifies with the country of her
ancestral roots.