UK, Nigeria Establish Strategic Partnership to Strengthen Bilateral Ties

• The UK and Nigeria have finalized a strategic partnership to enhance collaboration on economic growth, security, and foreign policy areas
• Foreign Secretary Lammy emphasized the partnership’s significance, aiming to create jobs, improve national security, and strengthen people-to-people ties

The United Kingdom and Nigeria have announced a new strategic partnership to boost their bilateral relationship. The agreement was finalized during a meeting between UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House in Abuja, as shared in a statement by the UK High Commission in Nigeria.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, signed the Strategic Partnership. This framework aims to deepen collaboration on priority areas such as economic growth, foreign policy, and security.

A key component of the agreement is the commitment to establish a Nigeria-UK Bi-National Commission. This commission will regularly assess the Strategic Partnership and address issues of mutual interest to both countries.

Foreign Secretary Lammy emphasized the importance of the partnership, stating, “Nigeria is the first country I have visited in Africa as Foreign Secretary because of our strong relationship and the exciting growth potential.”

He highlighted the partnership’s broad scope, covering job creation, national security, climate action, and people-to-people ties.

During his visit, Lammy also met with Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, and Central Bank Governor Yemi Cardoso to discuss the UK’s support for Nigeria’s economic reforms and shared growth goals.

Additionally, Lammy launched a UK-backed package to support Nigeria’s economic reforms, centered on three pillars led by the UK Centre of Expertise on Public Finance. These include:

1. Peer-to-peer collaboration between the UK’s HM Revenue and Customs Capacity Building Unit and Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
2. Partnerships between the UK’s Institute of Fiscal Studies, the Overseas Development Institute, and Nigeria’s Ministry of Finance on tax policy.
3. A new Public Finance Resource Centre, set to begin operations in Nigeria in 2025.

This collaboration aims to enhance technical skills in tax policy and revenue generation in Nigeria, supporting evidence-based policy decisions and efficient public finance management.