Nigeria says it wants a new deal with the UK post-Brexit

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari says he wants his country to have closer relations and stronger trading ties with the United Kingdom following its departure from the European Union. 

Writing in an article published in The Times, entitled ‘A new case for Commonwealth based on trade’, Mr Buhari made the argument for greater cooperation between the UK and Nigeria in order to foster jobs in under-developed sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing. 

"As the largest economy in Africa, my country of nearly 200 million people has a great deal to offer: Nigeria's vast natural energy and mineral resources, unbarred through the ending of customs barriers, could help supply growth for companies in all corners of the UK. Greater access would also be forthcoming to one of the world's fastest expanding groups of consumers - the Nigerian middle classes”, he wrote. 

Mr Buhari observed that the UK and Nigeria had a close and long-standing relationship but that economically this relationship had been increasingly defined by Britain’s membership of the EU. 

The president laid out his ambitions for a post-Brexit trade agreement, including better aligned regulations and greater foreign investment to create jobs and build businesses in Nigeria. 

Yesterday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson hosted the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London. The summit was aimed at strengthening the UK’s partnership with African nations and brought together businesses, governments and international institutions to achieve this.

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