Helen Grant celebrates her re-appointment as UK Trade Envoy to Nigeria with a packed visit to Abuja and Lagos

On 23rd November 2022 I was delighted to be re-appointed to a role I have held and cherished for the last two years, as the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria.?I’m extremely proud of both my British and Nigerian heritage and I greatly value the opportunity to use my love and understanding of both countries and cultures for our mutual benefit.

Nigeria is one of the UK’s most important partners in Africa, with total trade amounting to ￡5.5 billion (to the end of Q2 2022).?Working with a super team at the Department of International Trade, and the British High Commission in Nigeria, we wasted no time in keeping up the momentum we have generated together since 2020.?

I set off for Abuja, FCT on 26th November and the first stop on my itinerary was to co-chair the 8th UK Nigeria Economic Development Forum (EDF) with Nigerian Minister for Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo. The EDF has been the basis for our bilateral dialogue with Nigeria on economic reform. Through these meetings, we have successfully been able to facilitate regulatory link-ups, address market access barriers, and engage on wider business environment issues.

This time in Abuja, I was pleased to agree on our joint intent to pursue an Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP) in 2023 as a successor to the MOU that underpins our current Economic Development Forum. Both the UK and Nigeria have exchanged policy papers on priority sectors we would like the new ETIP to focus on, and I look forward to expanding the focus of our trade portfolio beyond the existing Business Dialogues and Legal and Financial Services working groups.

In addition to agreeing to work on a roadmap for the ETIP, the Minister and I discussed some of the more difficult macroeconomic issues hindering British investment in Nigeria, such as Foreign Exchange controls, the absence of a unified exchange rate, and gaps in energy, infrastructure, and security.

We then showcased opportunities for the future – the UK side through our generous new Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), and Nigeria through an update on the Trade Modernisation Project. As evident from our joint communique, we celebrated successes, and committed to doing even more.

In Lagos, I met with an inspirational cohort of Digi Girls and alumni from the Future Females Business School, who are supported by a UK Overseas Development Assistance programme. Tech is a priority sector for the UK in Nigeria, and I look forward to encouraging further reform of tech regulation, and seeing more women break glass ceilings in this sector.

I also had an interesting conversation with Nigerian entrepreneur, Tony Elumelu We explored investment opportunities for Nigerian businesses to expand into the UK, as well as support for inward trade missions to Nigeria, particularly in the growth sectors of creatives, renewable energy and tech.

In my capacity as the co-chair for the Legal Services technical working group of the EDF, I then met with my fellow co-chair, George Etomi (as well as several working group members) to progress our discussions around opening up opportunities for lawyers in both countries. I was encouraged to hear that a new bill is being discussed which if passed, would enable UK lawyers to practice in Nigeria.?

In Ikeja I toured Unilever’s state of the art oral hygiene factory, and congratulated MD Carl Cruz in advance of celebrating 100 years of investment in Nigeria (next year). ?In Ikoyi I met with the cutting-edge UK satellite company Avanti, who are involved in telecoms expansion across Nigeria.

It was particularly exciting to host an evening reception to showcase the Best of British food and fashion, and to celebrate the successes from our previous Creatives Trade Mission. I was pleased to hear updates from the three Nigerian film producers currently involved in UK-Nigerian co-productions (one of whom has received funding from the British Film Institute). A further Creatives Trade Mission is planned for 2023, to try to grow and realise these commercial opportunities.

As Nigeria enters its election period (with elections in February 2023), I am hopeful that Nigerians will be able to vote in safety and we will do all we can as the UK to encourage a credible, free poll and then to support the Nigerian government the people have chosen to elect. I look forward to continuing my work to support British businesses investing in (or looking to invest in) the dynamic Nigerian market. I am confident that through sustained, genuine engagement, we can deliver mutual prosperity for both of our great countries.?