London, United Kingdom — Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is holding a high-level meeting with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, as both countries seek to deepen diplomatic and economic relations.
The bilateral engagement, taking place in London, is expected to result in the signing of several agreements covering trade, investment, defence, and cultural cooperation. The discussions reflect ongoing efforts by the federal government of Nigeria to strengthen ties with one of its key international partners and attract foreign investment to support economic growth.
A statement issued on Monday by the Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, explained that the meeting would culminate in multiple Memoranda of Understanding and strategic agreements between both nations.
Okay News reports that a central outcome of the visit is a £746 million financing agreement involving UK Export Finance, the Nigerian Ports Authority, and Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Finance. The funding, valued at about $950 million, is expected to support the rehabilitation and upgrade of two major maritime facilities in Lagos State, southwestern Nigeria: the Lagos Port Complex, also known as Apapa Quays, and the Tin Can Island Port Complex.
These ports are critical to Nigeria’s international trade, handling a large share of the country’s imports and exports. Their modernisation is seen as essential to improving efficiency, reducing congestion, and boosting the country’s competitiveness in global shipping.
The meeting also signals Nigeria’s broader strategy to modernise infrastructure and build stronger economic partnerships with global powers. Strengthening port infrastructure is particularly important for a country that relies heavily on maritime trade for revenue and supply chains.
Earlier during the visit, President Tinubu and Nigeria’s First Lady were received by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle, highlighting the diplomatic significance of the trip and the long-standing historical ties between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
President Tinubu is accompanied by a senior delegation of Nigerian government officials. These include the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio; the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi; the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake; and the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Mohammed.
Other members of the delegation are the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu; the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole; the Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; and the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani.
Also present are the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa; the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu; and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed.
The outcome of the agreements is expected to shape future cooperation between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, particularly in infrastructure development and economic partnerships, with further implementation details likely to follow in the coming months.
