British delegation explore investment opportunities in Akwa Ibom

Friday, September 12, 2025 - An envoy from the British High Commission in Lagos visited Akwa Ibom State on Thursday to explore trade and investment opportunities.

The team, led by the Deputy High Commissioner, Johnny Baxter, was received by Governor Umo Eno, according to a statement from the Government House Press Unit on Friday.

Eno briefed the delegation on his administration’s development efforts under the ARISE Agenda, highlighting the strides made by past administrations, and showcased investment opportunities in the state.

The visit of the British High Commission delegation to Akwa Ibom comes at a time when the United Kingdom is intensifying efforts to deepen trade and investment relations with Nigeria and other African economies following Brexit.

With Nigeria being one of the UK’s largest trading partners in Africa, London has repeatedly expressed interest in strengthening ties at both national and sub-national levels, particularly in sectors such as agriculture, energy, infrastructure, and tourism.

The governor, who commended the delegation, underscored Nigeria’s historical ties with the United Kingdom and its humanitarian programmes.

Eno said, “This special relationship has also been extended to the sub-nationals like ours. It may interest you to know that, in recognition of this special relationship, my administration has been working with the Tony Blair Institute in strategic areas, particularly tourism development, and I commend them for their kind partnership with us.”

He revealed that the state had recently sponsored underprivileged secondary school students for educational outreach in the UK to broaden their knowledge and inspire ambition beyond their place of birth.

Eno further outlined the state’s economic zones, including the Liberty Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone, Ibom Industrial City, and Itam Industrial Park in Uyo.

“We want to work with an investor to power the park so that it can run off-grid and provide power to industries that want to operate there,” he added.

He also mentioned upcoming projects such as the Aviation Hub, the Ibom Convention Centre, and the Ikot Ekpene International Market, noting that Akwa Ibom is the first sub-national in Nigeria to create an aviation ecosystem

Responding, Baxter praised Akwa Ibom’s development strides and expressed the UK government’s interest in investing in the state’s agriculture and tourism sectors.

He said, “The Commission in Lagos has a commercial focus and we are looking at business and trade in the southern areas of Nigeria. I want to get as many southern states as I can, and I have long been looking forward to getting to Akwa Ibom State.

“The reason is reinforced by Ibom Air, which to my mind feels like one of the best flight carriers in the country in so many ways, and everyone should be extraordinarily proud of Ibom Air.”

Baxter added, “I have been impressed by what I have seen so far here in Akwa Ibom State. I have barely been here for 24 hours, but already the infrastructure, the roads, are very clearly impressive, and just looking at the scenery here—how green and lush Akwa Ibom is—I can really see the agricultural potential of the state and other investments.”

He later toured facilities, including the multi-billion-naira ARISE Resort, where a 70-hectare erosion-ravaged ravine has been transformed into a tourist attraction by the Eno administration.

Other members of the British delegation included Mark Smithson, Country Director, Department for Business and Trade; Dr. Fortune Alfred, Senior Political Adviser and Head, British High Commission South-South Regional Office; and Wale Adebajo, Senior Political Adviser, British Deputy High Commission, Lagos.

Akwa Ibom State, one of Nigeria’s top oil-producing states, has in recent years sought to diversify its economy beyond petroleum through Governor Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda.

The agenda prioritises industrialisation, job creation, infrastructure expansion, and tourism development. Signature projects such as the Ibom Industrial City, Liberty Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone, and Ibom Air have positioned the state as a potential investment hub in the Gulf of Guinea region.

The British delegation’s tour and investment discussions signal a growing recognition of Akwa Ibom’s potential as a gateway for trade and tourism in southern Nigeria.

It also reflects a broader strategy by the UK to build stronger commercial ties with Nigerian states as sub-national governments increasingly play a leading role in driving foreign investment.