Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during a meeting with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK), Keir Starmer, on his state visit, called for deeper economic cooperation between the two countries, news.ng reports.
The call, according to Tinubu, is aimed at strengthening bilateral trade agreements to ramp up economic growth and shared prosperity between the two nations.
The Nigerian leader maintained that the need for broader economic relations is germane to consolidating the various reforms initiated by his administration since 2023.
According to the President, “We need to nurture the trade agreements, you know, to make more economic relationships that will build our two nations. And Nigeria is currently going through a very strong reform, you know, of the economy.”
While acknowledging the current global economic challenges, President Tinubu noted that Nigeria and the UK are not immune to the current circumstances.
“What we are facing is not a small challenge. Currently, the entire world is challenged, you know. And Nigeria is not immune, so is Britain, it’s not immune,” Tinubu stated.
On the UK Prime Minister’s pragmatic approach to improving the welfare of the British people, Tinubu commended his host, highlighting the need for the two countries to collaborate in curbing the volatile nature of the global economy and improving livelihoods.
“My concern is, as you rightly said, the economy and the welfare of the people, and how we should, you know, work together to improve the livelihood… mitigating the economic volatility,” he added.
Pushing the narrative of the spate of insecurity in Nigeria, Tinubu noted that insecurity has greatly affected the country’s developmental plans. He also touched on climate change, which is having an adverse effect on the economy, calling for systematic responses.
“And currently, we are challenged… by terrorism, and the conflict of, you know, climate change, all of that,” he said.
The president ended his address with a beam of hope regarding the ongoing bilateral discussions with the UK government, which he said would yield a positive impact in the future.
“We will be able to discuss it in our bilateral relations, and see what Britain can do to accelerate the friendship, partnership, and the collaboration,” Tinubu concluded.
