Eshalomi Strengthened UK-Nigeria Economic Ties During Strategic Visit – Independent Newspaper Nigeria

LAGOS – The recent visit of UK Trade Envoy to Nigeria, Florence Eshalomi MP, reinforced the UK’s commitment to deepening bilateral trade and investment relations.

The visit marked a significant step forward in the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP), with a focus on unlocking new opportunities across fintech, manufacturing and agriculture.

The Trade Envoy, Joined by the Director-General for Investment at the UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT), Ceri Smith, and His Majesty’s Deputy Trade Commissioner to Africa, Ben Ainsley, engaged in high-level meetings and strategic dialogues aimed at fostering collaboration and driving inclusive economic growth.

As part of the visit, Florence Eshalomi MP co-hosted the ETIP Business Dialogue alongside the British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Mr. Jonny Baxter, and Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI).

The dialogue brought together UK and Nigerian business leaders to identify and address non-tariff barriers, with actionable outcomes set to inform ongoing efforts to improve the business environment and support sustainable development.

The Trade Envoy in chats with newsmen, delivered a keynote address highlighting British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor, and its latest $7.5m investment in Babban Gona, a leading Nigerian agricultural enterprise.

This startegic investment underscores the UK’s role in supporting food security, creating jobs, and strengthening economic resilience within Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

Key bilateral meetings with the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, and senior executives from LemFi, Interswitch and Zenith Bank, focused on expanding financial sector ties and exploring opportunities for Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) and capital market engagement via the London Stock Exchange.

Commenting on her visit, UK Trade Envoy to Nigeria, Florence Eshalomi MP, said: “Nigeria is a powerhouse of innovation and enterprise, and the UK is proud to be a strategic partner in its growth journey.

”This visit has deepened our commercial ties and opened new doors for collaboration across sectors that matter most to our shared prosperity – from fintech and agriculture to manufacturing.