By Bashir Aliyu
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has successfully concluded a high-level working visit to the United Kingdom from March 3 to 5, 2025. According to Alkasim Abdulkadir, Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to the Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs, the visit was aimed at bolstering diplomatic ties between Nigeria and the UK, with a focus on trade, investment, technology, security, media, and academia.
Ambassador Tuggar held high-level bilateral meetings that underscored the robust partnership between Nigeria and the UK in advancing trade, security, and innovation. At Wilton Park, he met with the UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs, David Lammy, where they explored strategies to enhance economic ties, strengthen security cooperation, and foster innovation-driven growth between both nations.
Additionally, Ambassador Tuggar engaged with UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to discuss key areas of collaboration under the Nigeria-UK Migration, Justice, and Home Affairs Dialogue—a crucial platform for addressing shared priorities in legal migration, security, and justice reform. The discussions aimed at reinforcing bilateral efforts to combat transnational crime, streamline migration processes, and enhance judicial cooperation, further solidifying the strong diplomatic ties between both countries.
The trip aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s broader foreign policy agenda, which prioritizes economic diplomacy, regional stability, and global partnerships. Ambassador Tuggar engaged with top UK officials, financial institutions, academics, and media stakeholders to deepen cooperation across these key sectors.
A defining moment of Ambassador Tuggar’s visit was his address at Chatham House, one of the UK’s most prestigious foreign policy institutes. In his speech, he outlined Nigeria’s evolving foreign policy, emphasizing its role as a regional leader in Africa and its aspirations for greater global influence.
The Foreign Minister discussed Nigeria’s commitment to economic diversification, security collaboration, and fostering mutually beneficial international partnerships. He also highlighted the importance of African-led solutions to global challenges, calling for stronger cooperation between Nigeria and the UK in areas such as climate change, security, and trade.
Ambassador Tuggar held strategic meetings with British lawmakers and policymakers during a high-level roundtable discussion at the House of Commons. The discussions focused on boosting economic cooperation, expanding trade, and increasing investment opportunities between Nigeria and the UK.
As Nigeria remains one of the UK’s largest trading partners in Africa, the meeting explored avenues to strengthen trade policies, encourage direct foreign investment, and enhance financial collaboration.
To further these goals, Ambassador Tuggar engaged with senior executives from major financial institutions, including JP Morgan and British International Investment (BII). Talks centered on attracting investment in critical sectors such as infrastructure, energy, technology, and agriculture to support Nigeria’s economic diversification and long-term growth.
The Foreign Minister also met with key media executives at BBC House in London. His engagements sought to promote a positive image of Nigeria internationally, counter negative stereotypes, and highlight the country’s vast economic and cultural opportunities.
During the discussions, he emphasized Nigeria’s economic potential, investment-friendly environment, and ongoing efforts to tackle security challenges. Strengthening Nigeria’s global narrative remains a key component of the Foreign Minister’s outreach strategy.
Security cooperation was another crucial aspect of Ambassador Tuggar’s visit. He held bilateral discussions with senior UK government officials focused on counterterrorism, intelligence-sharing, and military cooperation.
Given Nigeria’s ongoing fight against insurgency, organized crime, and cross-border security threats, both countries explored ways to enhance intelligence-sharing mechanisms and build capacity within Nigeria’s security forces. The UK has been a strategic partner in supporting Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts, and these discussions aimed to further deepen that collaboration.
To promote education and human capital development, Ambassador Tuggar engaged with leading UK academic institutions, including the University of Cambridge and the African Centre.
The discussions focused on enhancing educational exchange programs, facilitating scholarships for Nigerian students, and encouraging collaborative research initiatives between Nigerian and UK universities. Strengthening these academic ties aligns with Nigeria’s broader goal of developing a globally competitive workforce.
Ambassador Tuggar’s visit underscores Nigeria’s commitment to reinforcing diplomatic relations with key global partners. His engagements were not merely symbolic but aimed at achieving tangible outcomes in line with President Tinubu’s “4-D Foreign Policy Agenda”—Democracy, Development, Diaspora, and Defence.
Through his engagements, the Foreign Minister emphasized the importance of economic collaboration, security partnerships, and global influence-building, ensuring Nigeria’s position as a significant player on the world stage.
Ambassador Tuggar’s high-level visit to the UK has set the stage for deeper diplomatic, economic, and security cooperation between Nigeria and the UK. Moving forward, the agreements and discussions held during the visit are expected to yield increased British investments, stronger security partnerships, and enhanced academic collaborations.
As Nigeria continues to strengthen its international relations, this visit represents a significant step toward achieving the country’s long-term foreign policy and economic objectives.
Source: Alkasim Abdulkadir, Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to the Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs
