ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The United Kingdom and Nigeria have launched a £15 million Growth Programme designed to unlock private investment, accelerate economic transformation and support reform-driven growth in Africa’s largest economy.
The initiative was announced during a two-day visit by Baroness Jenny Chapman, the UK Minister for Africa and International Development, who held engagements in Abuja and Kaduna. The programme will run for three years, focusing on capital market development, technology investment, small businesses and technical assistance.
Chapman met with Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele to discuss the programme’s role in advancing Nigeria’s economic reforms. “The UK-Nigeria Growth Programme helps bring this partnership to life by supporting capital market development, technology investment, small businesses and technical assistance,” Oyedele said.
The UK also expanded cooperation in Nigeria’s digital economy through its Digital Access Programme, which will reduce regulatory barriers and encourage investment in broadband infrastructure and emerging technologies. Chapman met Trade Minister Jumoke Oduwole to review progress under the Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership, with discussions on boosting exports, fintech collaboration and capital market linkages.
In Kaduna, Chapman met Governor Uba Sani and community leaders to assess more than two decades of UK cooperation with the state. She visited health facilities and livestock projects supported by UK funding, underscoring the partnership’s reach from national policy to grassroots impact.
Reflecting on her visit, Chapman described Nigeria as “a partner that the UK is proud to stand alongside,” adding that the new programme builds on British International Investment’s nearly $800 million portfolio in agriculture, renewable energy and manufacturing, as well as UK Export Finance’s $1 billion support for Lagos port rehabilitation.
The initiative follows President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to the UK in March and subsequent engagements at the Global Partnerships Conference, signaling momentum in bilateral ties. With seven Nigerian banks now operating in the UK and London serving as a hub for Nigerian fintech firms, the partnership is increasingly shaping both nations’ economic futures.
