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The United Kingdom has launched a £15 million growth programme to strengthen investment flows, support economic reforms and advance Nigeria’s long-term development strategy.
UK Minister for Africa and International Development, Baroness Chapman, announced the initiative during a two-day visit to Nigeria, with engagements held in Abuja and Kaduna.
She said the three-year programme is designed to accelerate economic transformation, attract private capital and support Nigeria’s shift from short-term macroeconomic stabilisation to sustained, reform-led growth.
During meetings with Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, both sides discussed the new initiative and wider economic cooperation between the two countries.
The UK also announced expanded collaboration on Nigeria’s digital economy through the State Partnership for Regulatory Innovation in the Digital Economy (SPRIRET), aimed at improving digital governance across five Nigerian states and reducing regulatory bottlenecks affecting investment in broadband, digital services and emerging technologies.
Speaking on the partnership, Oyedele said it reflects one of the most important bilateral relationships for Nigeria and would help deepen cooperation in areas such as capital market development, technology investment and support for small businesses.
He said the initiative would also strengthen technical assistance and drive reforms across key sectors of the economy.
“We continue to value the UK-Nigeria relationship, one of the most important partnerships for both our countries,” Oyedele said.
The UK delegation also met the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, to review ongoing Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP), including efforts to expand exports under existing trade frameworks and strengthen collaboration in fintech and capital markets.
In Kaduna, Chapman met Governor Uba Sani to assess over two decades of development cooperation and explore new opportunities in investment mobilisation and climate finance.
She also visited UK-supported agricultural and healthcare projects, including community animal health programmes and a primary health care centre serving thousands of residents.
Chapman said the visit reinforced her belief in the strength of UK-Nigeria relations, describing the partnership as “deep, real, and moving in the right direction.”
The UK noted that the programme builds on existing investments, including nearly $800 million already committed through British International Investment (BII) across agriculture, renewable energy and manufacturing sectors.
