Gill Lever OBE, the British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, has reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to deepening its partnership with Nigeria at state level.
She made the comment at the conclusion of her three‑day visit to Kwara State from 11 to 13 May 2026.
The visit included meetings with Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Chair of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, and First Lady Prof. Olufolake AbdulRazaq; a visit to the Ilorin Innovation Hub; engagements with civil society organisations and religious leaders; a radio interview on Diamond 88.8 FM; and a courtesy call on the Emir of Ilorin, His Royal Highness Ibrahim Sulu‑Gambari.
The visit builds on the momentum of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s historic State Visit to the United Kingdom in March 2026, the first by a Nigerian President in 37 years, which secured a £746 million ports deal, deepened economic partnerships, and delivered new commitments on security cooperation.
During her meeting with Governor AbdulRazaq, the Deputy High Commissioner discussed opportunities to strengthen economic ties and create sustainable jobs in Kwara State.
She highlighted the UK’s Manufacturing Africa programme, which is already providing technical assistance to two Kwara‑based companies, Bespoke Design Concepts and Bacita Sugar Company, helping them attract investment, expand operations, and create jobs.
She also raised the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), which offers duty‑free or near duty‑free access to the UK market for around 3,000 Nigerian products, including shea, cashew and sesame, crops in which Kwara has strong potential.
The Deputy High Commissioner encouraged the state government to help raise awareness of the scheme among local producers, cooperatives and exporters so they can fully benefit from the preferential access it offers.
A dedicated meeting with First Lady Prof. Olufolake AbdulRazaq focused on women’s economic empowerment, the Special Seats Bill, and efforts to end violence against women and girls (VAWG).
The UK has supported the Nigerian Governors’ Spouses Forum, currently chaired by the First Lady, for four consecutive years, providing technical and financial support for its VAWG advocacy work.
During the visit, the Deputy High Commissioner also visited the Olufolake Safe Haven, located within the Stella Obasanjo Multi‑Purpose Hall in Ilorin, a specialised facility providing protection and care for vulnerable children.
Accompanied by the First Lady, she also toured the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) at Sobi Specialist Hospital, where she received briefings on survivor‑centred services and the importance of coordinated responses to sexual and gender‑based violence.
The visits underscored the UK’s continued commitment to safeguarding, access to justice, and strengthening systems that protect women and children.
Kwara State has been recognised as a model for women’s representation in governance, with Governor AbdulRazaq appointing women to over half of all cabinet positions, up from zero elected female officials in 2019 to five members in the House of Assembly by 2023. In 2024, the Governor was decorated as a HeForShe Ambassador.
The Deputy High Commissioner also visited the Ilorin Innovation Hub, where she met young Nigerians, particularly young women, working in technology and entrepreneurship, and delivered remarks during an interactive session.
She announced that the UK will support the Hub’s participation in London Tech Week in June 2026, connecting Kwara’s innovators directly with UK networks, investors, and markets.
She further met with Adekimi Ojo, Kwara State commissioner of Police, to discuss security trends and reaffirm UK support for preventive and institution‑strengthening approaches.
The UK’s security partnership with Nigeria, including counter‑terrorism cooperation and the counter‑drone defence commitment announced during the State Visit, remains a central pillar of the bilateral relationship.
Speaking during the visit, Gill Lever OBE, said:
“Kwara has given us the warmest of welcomes, and it has been genuinely inspiring to see a state that is not just talking about change but delivering it. Governor AbdulRazaq’s commitment to women’s representation in government is remarkable, moving from zero elected female officials to a cabinet where women hold roughly half of all positions is the kind of leadership the whole of Nigeria can look to as a model. When I spent time with the young innovators at the Ilorin Innovation Hub, particularly the young women building technology businesses right here in Kwara, I was reminded of exactly why the UK is so invested in Nigeria’s future.”
