Sunday, February 11, 2024 - The UK Minister for Business and Trade, Kemi Badenoch has arrived in Nigeria for a three-day visit.
The purpose of the visit is to deepen the
UK-Nigeria partnership.
According to the Nations, a statement
released by Senior Press & Public Affairs Officer and Comms Lead,
Prosperity and Economic Development, Ndidiamaka Eze, disclosed that Badenoch’s
visit will take forward ongoing efforts by both countries to boost the
UK-Nigeria trade relationship and unlock new investment opportunities.
In July 2022, Badenoch resigned from the
government and stood unsuccessfully to replace Boris Johnson in the
July–September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election.
After Liz Truss became Prime Minister in
September 2022, Badenoch was appointed as Secretary of State for International
Trade and President of the Board of Trade and was sworn in to the Privy
Council.
The 44-year-old British-Nigerian was
reappointed to the Cabinet by Truss's successor, Rishi Sunak, the following
month.
In a February 2023 cabinet reshuffle,
Badenoch was appointed Secretary of State for the Department for Business and
Trade
The statement reads, “Minister Kemi
Badenoch and the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria, Helen Grant will have
meetings with the Federal Government of Nigeria, State Governors as well as
British and Nigerian business leaders and investors.
“Through these meetings, she will explore
current and potential investment and trade activities from education to
infrastructure and energy projects, with a potential to create thousands of
jobs.
“Minister Badenoch will look to further
strengthen the UK-Nigeria partnership, remove barriers to trade and investment,
grow business between the two countries, and ensure the City of London’s
enabling role for international business is more accessible to Nigeria.”
Speaking on her visit to Nigeria, British
High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery said: “Nigeria is one of the
UK’s most important partners in Africa. We are committed to helping Nigeria
unlock new investments opportunities, supporting more UK and international
investment through the City of London, and thereby creating jobs in both our
countries.
“Recent big and bold reforms by the Federal
Government of Nigeria and the Central Bank are boosting optimism amongst
international investors that the country is on the right path and are creating
the conditions for growth.”
In July 2022, Badenoch lambasted Nigerian
politicians, saying they use public funds as their private piggy banks and
pollute the political system with failure to serve the people.
Badenoch, who was among the eight nominees in the race to
succeed Boris Johnson as the British Prime Minister made the statement during a
campaign speech.
The Nigerian-born politician who served as
Minister of State for Local Government, Faith and Communities and Minister of
State for Equalities between 2021 and 2022 in the UK said she grew up in
Nigeria and witnessed first-hand how Nigerian politicians misused and
mismanaged public funds, promised heaven on earth only to pollute not only the
air but the political system without rendering due service to the people.
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