Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has concluded a high-level working visit to the United Kingdom from March 3 to 5, 2025.
The visit focused on strengthening diplomatic relations between both countries, with particular emphasis on trade, investment, technology, security, media, and academia.
A statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir, highlighted key meetings aimed at enhancing economic cooperation and security collaboration.
At Wilton Park, Ambassador Tuggar met with the UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs, David Lammy, where they discussed strategies to boost trade, security cooperation, and innovation-driven growth between Nigeria and the UK.
As part of efforts to enhance bilateral security relations, he also engaged with UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to discuss cooperation under the Nigeria-UK Migration, Justice, and Home Affairs Dialogue.
The discussions focused on combating transnational crime, streamlining migration processes, and strengthening judicial cooperation to further solidify the diplomatic ties between both nations.
The visit aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s broader foreign policy agenda, which prioritizes economic diplomacy, regional stability, and global partnerships.
Ambassador Tuggar held strategic engagements with top UK officials, financial institutions, academics, and media stakeholders to deepen cooperation in these critical areas.
A key highlight of his visit was his address at Chatham House, one of the UK’s most respected foreign policy institutes. In his speech, he outlined Nigeria’s evolving foreign policy, emphasizing the country’s role as a regional leader in Africa and its aspirations for greater global influence.
He also stressed Nigeria’s commitment to economic diversification, security cooperation, and fostering mutually beneficial international partnerships.
During a high-level roundtable discussion at the House of Commons, Ambassador Tuggar engaged with British lawmakers and policymakers on strengthening economic cooperation, expanding trade, and increasing investment opportunities.
As Nigeria remains one of the UK’s largest trading partners in Africa, the meeting explored ways to refine trade policies, encourage direct foreign investment, and enhance financial collaboration.
To further these economic objectives, he met with senior executives from major financial institutions, including JP Morgan and British International Investment. Their discussions focused on attracting investments in infrastructure, energy, technology, and agriculture to support Nigeria’s economic diversification and long-term growth.
The Foreign Minister also met with key media executives at BBC House in London, where he promoted a positive image of Nigeria internationally. He emphasized the country’s investment-friendly environment, economic potential, and ongoing efforts to address security challenges, while also countering negative stereotypes about Nigeria on the global stage.
Security cooperation was another major aspect of the visit. Ambassador Tuggar held discussions with senior UK government officials on counterterrorism, intelligence-sharing, and military cooperation. Given Nigeria’s ongoing fight against insurgency, organized crime, and cross-border security threats, both countries explored ways to enhance intelligence-sharing mechanisms and strengthen Nigeria’s security forces.
The UK has been a strategic partner in supporting Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts, and this visit aimed to deepen that collaboration.
In the education sector, Ambassador Tuggar engaged with leading UK institutions, including the University of Cambridge and the African Centre, to enhance academic partnerships.
Discussions focused on strengthening educational exchange programs, facilitating scholarships for Nigerian students, and promoting collaborative research between Nigerian and UK universities. These efforts align with Nigeria’s broader vision of developing a globally competitive workforce.
The visit underscored Nigeria’s commitment to reinforcing diplomatic relations with key global partners.
Ambassador Tuggar’s engagements were not just symbolic but aimed at achieving tangible outcomes in line with President Tinubu’s “4-D Foreign Policy Agenda”—Democracy, Development, Diaspora, and Defence.
By emphasizing economic collaboration, security partnerships, and global influence-building, the visit has laid the foundation for deeper cooperation between Nigeria and the UK.
Moving forward, the agreements reached are expected to result in increased British investments, stronger security collaborations, and enhanced academic partnerships.
As Nigeria continues to strengthen its international relations, this visit marks a significant step toward achieving the country’s long-term foreign policy and economic objectives.
