The UK foreign office has announced that James Cleverly, the British Foreign Secretary, will embark on his inaugural visit to Nigeria, which will be focused on discussions related to security, trade, and climate concerns.
As part of his itinerary, he is expected to convene with Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, engaging in discussions on the mutual ties between the countries, with a particular focus on augmenting bilateral trade, investment, and fostering stronger security cooperation.
Cleverly’s four-day African tour, encompassing three countries, includes his visit to Nigeria, which comes in the wake of a military takeover in neighbouring Niger, leading to the deposition of the country’s president.
In light of the current political circumstances, the Foreign Office has cautioned against any travel to Niger, and the Nigerian authorities have responded by closing the Nigeria-Niger land border.
During his two-day stay in Nigeria, Cleverly intends to unveil a comprehensive package of support aimed at enhancing the country’s agriculture sector’s climate resilience.
Read also: Ghana: Return Our Gold, Asante King Urges British Museum
As stated by the Foreign Office, the allocated funding will be used to promote the development of heat and flood-tolerant crops, enhance soil fertility, and address agricultural trade barriers that hinder UK imports. These efforts aim to bolster the climate resilience of Nigeria’s agriculture sector.
Scheduled for Tuesday, Cleverly’s presence in Lagos aims to unveil a £10 million ($13 million) UK-backed facility in Nigeria, designed to unlock funding for ‘climate-friendly’ infrastructure projects, particularly focusing on renewable energy services for urban homes.
Cleverly said, ‘Nigeria has a booming population and the largest economy in Africa – there is huge potential for an even closer partnership between UK-and Nigerian businesses which will be of mutual benefit to both countries.’
‘Together we are focusing on the future putting in place green, clean measures, both in agriculture and infrastructure development, to create climate-resilient solutions for the global challenges we all face today and will increasingly face in the years to come.’
On Wednesday, the foreign secretary will be proceeding to the capital, Abuja, where he is scheduled to delineate a £55 million contract as part of the UK’s previously announced international climate finance program called Propcom+. The initiative aims to bolster the development of Nigeria’s rural economy.