Britain beams strong searchlight on Tinubu’s titillating economic agenda
● Identifies ‘six sweet areas’ of bilateral cooperation with Nigeria
By PHC Telegraph
New British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery says his country can’t wait to do business with Nigeria.
The United Kingdom has identified six key areas of interest that would be at the centre of its monumental drive to cultivate better ties with Nigeria.
But the UK which is rearing to go into action, given signs that are emanating from No 10 Downing Street, will however wait until after President Bola Tinubu names his ministers.
British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery said in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, that his country is watching to see what caliber of persons Tinubu will be bring in as ministers to pursue the nation’s core interests.
Identifying Britain’s key areas of interest, Montgomery remarked, “I will say that there are six areas we would like to explore. The first is long-standing development cooperation.
“And I think what the UK always needs to do when a new administration comes into place is, we need to understand the priorities of that administration and how we can adapt and work in mutual partnership and with our development programmes.
President Bola Tinubu lights a new fire at home and abroad.“The second is economic area. We already have a good economic dialogue but we would like to take the next step and develop a form of a more enhanced trade and partnership – something I am quite keen to discuss with the new minister of trade and industry.
“The third area is security and defence, which we would like to evolve and take forward.
“We already have a good relationship on home affairs, with your interior ministry and other agencies, and that is an area where we would like to continue our collaborations.
“Finally, we would like to have a more systematic dialogue on foreign policy.
“Nigeria has played a very valuable role in regional and continental issues and the UK would like to have a more systematic foreign policy dialogue with the government of Nigeria once the ministers and advisers are in place.”
The envoy traced the historical ties between both countries, saying both Commonwealth nations have fought side by side and shared deep-rooted interests.
“We have very long-standing ties being wired by history and we do have a very strong foundation on which to build”, Montgomery told NAN “and I am very optimistic about Nigeria’s direction in the coming years.
“We wish to build on our economic relations in particular and the first decisions by the new administration show that it is going to take big decisions on the economy which I think will give us the opportunity to grow our trade, investment, and economic relations.”
Expressing confidence in the Tinubu administration, the head of Britain’s diplomatic mission in Nigeria stated, “I think there are a number of areas where the UK government can step up our diplomacy, our bilateral relations with Nigeria.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spinning a web of robust partnership with Nigeria from No 10 Downing Street.
“But of course, we await the appointment of new ministers so that we can have the diplomatic dialogue necessary to lay the grounds for some of those.”
The record shows that Montgomery succeeded Catriona Laing as the head of the UK mission in Nigeria.
According to information, Laing now acts as the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres for Somalia as well as the Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia.
” The tide has changed”, an analyst said in Port Harcourt while examining the trend since power changed hands, “Tinubu has put Nigeria in the spotlight. Everything is turning around. I must confess it is for our own good.”
It may well be so.
After several years of clueless governments at the centre, Nigeria has never been taken seriously as a destination of choice by many nations, including leading Western powers.
Since May 30, 2023, many countries have through their expression of interest shown that Tinubu’s administration might be good for business.
Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, former Foreign Affairs Minister under the military who came on, on Arise Television summed it up when he said, “Nigeria is back!”