Florence Eshalomi, the UK Trade Envoy to Nigeria, has wrapped up a four-day visit to Nigeria, underscoring the UK’s commitment to strengthening bilateral trade and investment through the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP). The mission focused on expanding opportunities in fintech, manufacturing, and agriculture.
Eshalomi was accompanied by Ceri Smith, Director-General for Investment at the UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT), and Ben Ainsley, His Majesty’s Deputy Trade Commissioner to Africa.
Together, they held high-level meetings with government officials and private sector leaders to advance collaboration and promote inclusive economic growth.
A highlight of the visit was the ETIP Business Dialogue, co-hosted with the British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Mr. Jonny Baxter, and Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI). The forum convened UK and Nigerian business leaders to address non-tariff barriers and recommend policy actions to improve the investment climate.
During a press briefing, the Envoy spotlighted British International Investment (BII) and its $7.5 million investment in Babban Gona, a leading Nigerian agricultural enterprise. She emphasized that the funding will boost food security, create jobs, and enhance economic resilience in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
The delegation also held bilateral talks with Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, as well as senior executives from LemFi, Interswitch, and Zenith Bank, exploring ways to deepen financial sector ties and expand IPO opportunities on the London Stock Exchange.
Eshalomi described Nigeria as a “powerhouse of innovation and enterprise,” reaffirming the UK’s role as a strategic partner in the country’s growth story. She stressed that the partnership is aimed at scaling Nigerian businesses globally and delivering inclusive impact across priority sectors.
Supporting Nigeria’s vibrant tech ecosystem, the Trade Envoy participated in a Tech Roundtable, connecting Nigerian founders with the UK’s Global Entrepreneurs Programme (GEP). The visit culminated at GITEX Nigeria 2025, where Eshalomi moderated a fintech panel featuring Kuda Bank and PiggyVest, two Nigerian champions scaling globally with UK support.
