London (AFP) – Nigerian President Bola Tinubu talked of how his country is “challenged by terrorism” as he met Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday as part of his state visit to the UK. Starmer welcomed Tinubu to Downing Street for talks on the second and last day of the first state visit by the leader of Africa’s most populous nation to Britain in 37 years.
“What we are facing is not a small challenge. Currently, the entire world is challenged,” Tinubu said at the top of their meeting. “Nigeria is not immune, Britain is not immune,” Tinubu added, noting that Nigeria was “challenged by terrorism” and the “conflict from climate change.” The Nigerian president arrived in Britain on Tuesday, a day after suspected suicide bombings killed at least 23 people in northeastern Nigeria. The west African nation has been roiled by a jihadist insurgency since 2009, which US President Donald Trump has claimed amounts to a “genocide” of Christians — sparking a diplomatic crisis between Washington and Abuja, which denies the allegations.
Britain and Nigeria remain major partners in trade, aid, and defence. Nigeria is a former British colony, and London is home to a huge Nigerian diaspora. “The long and shared history between our countries is obvious and much valued by us,” said Starmer. “Our ambition is to go even further than we have already gone with our two countries,” he added.
The meeting came after British Steel announced it had secured a £70-million ($94-million) contract for port redevelopments in Nigeria, one of its biggest ever export orders. The agreement, with Hitech Construction Africa Ltd, will see British Steel supply 120,000 tonnes of steel, sparking an increase in production at its site in Scunthorpe, in northern England.
The two countries also announced Thursday a new partnership to enable visa overstayers and failed asylum seekers to be removed from Britain more easily. An alternative identity document issued to those without a valid passport, known as UK Letters, will be recognised by the Nigerian authorities. It means Britain will no longer have to wait for emergency travel documents to be issued by Nigeria if they are seeking to deport someone.
Tinubu and his wife were treated to a state banquet hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle, west of London, on Wednesday night. Earlier in the day, they had a carriage ride and inspected a ceremonial guard of honour. The last Nigerian state visit to the UK took place in 1989, although Tinubu was received by Charles in September 2024.
© 2024 AFP
