President Bola Tinubu urged Nigeria and the United Kingdom to deepen their historic trade and economic partnership during Thursday’s high-level talks at Downing Street with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The meeting culminated in a landmark £746 million agreement to modernize Lagos’s Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, signed later at Lancaster House by Nigeria’s Finance Minister Wale Edun and UK Minister Blair McDougall MP.
Tinubu described his state visit, the first by a Nigerian leader in 37 years, as “thrilling and significant,” highlighting decades of institutional collaboration amid talks on trade, economy, climate change, terrorism, and global challenges. He emphasized Nigeria’s ongoing economic reforms and the shared need to enhance livelihoods, noting, “Nigeria is not immune to what is happening around the world,” while praising the UK’s supportive reactions to recent developments.
Starmer hailed the visit as historic, pointing to the King’s State Banquet for the Nigerian delegation and robust people-to-people links that fortify both nations. He reaffirmed strong existing ties in economy, defence, and security, with new export and business pacts signaling deeper cooperation on pressing global issues.
Edun aligned the port refurbishment with Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda, prioritizing infrastructure, energy, and industrial growth to spur investment, jobs, and poverty reduction. The deal reflects growing mutual trust, he added, poised to drive tangible economic gains for citizens of both countries through efficient port upgrades and expanded bilateral investment.