Abuja, Nigeria – The trade volume in goods and services between Nigeria and the United Kingdom reached £7.2 billion in 2024, Nigeria’s Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, announced on Thursday. The figure was revealed during a meeting in Abuja with a UK parliamentary delegation led by Lord Collins, the Under Secretary of State (Africa) for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs.
Welcoming the delegation, Mr. Kalu, who represents Bende Federal Constituency in Abia State, called for enhanced partnership between Nigeria and the UK, particularly in strengthening democracy, boosting trade cooperation, and improving citizens’ welfare.
He highlighted Nigeria’s economic significance, stating, “Nigeria, with a population exceeding 230m, is Africa’s largest economy. In 2024, our economy demonstrated a growth rate of 3.4 per cent, marking our highest in a decade.”
Providing specifics on trade, Kalu noted that total UK exports to Nigeria amounted to £5.3 billion (a 3.2% increase year-on-year), while total UK imports from Nigeria stood at £1.9 billion, resulting in a £3.4 billion trade surplus for the UK. Nigeria was the UK’s 38th largest trading partner during this period, accounting for 0.4% of total UK trade.
Mr. Kalu also brought attention to efforts aimed at increasing women’s representation in the Nigerian parliament. He observed the UK Parliament’s progress, where women constitute approximately 40% of the House of Commons and 30% of the House of Lords, placing the UK 27th globally in the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) rankings with 35% overall representation. In contrast, female representation in Nigeria’s National Assembly is less than 5% (4.05%), with only 19 women out of 469 seats (four in the Senate and 15 in the House of Representatives). This positions Nigeria at 178th out of 182 countries in the IPU’s global standings.
As Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Amendment and sponsor of the Special Seats Bill, which proposes an additional 74 federal legislative seats and 108 state assembly seats for women, Mr. Kalu pledged commitment to ensuring a more inclusive legislative framework.
He underscored other facets of the bilateral partnership, citing the Nigeria-UK Strategic Partnership agreed on November 4, 2024, and eight further partnership agreements signed in September 2024, valued at approximately N589 billion (£272.6 million). These agreements span critical sectors including governance, climate change, education, health, and the economy. The Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership, signed in February 2024, is reinforcing ties in legal services, financial technology, and renewable energy.
Regarding security and defence, Kalu highlighted milestones such as the establishment of the Multi-Agency Anti-Kidnap Fusion Cell and securing over 500 terrorism-related convictions under the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership. He also mentioned the UK-Nigeria Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cyber Security Cooperation, signed in February 2024, which provides a cooperation framework through 2027.
On economic reforms and technology, Mr. Kalu noted that “Nigeria recorded a balance of payments surplus of $6.83bn in 2024,” emphasizing that “Our digital special economic zones aim to position Nigeria as a leading technology hub in Africa.”
The Deputy Speaker advocated for an immigration policy framework that acknowledges the contributions of Nigerian nationals, calls for mutual recognition of qualifications to facilitate the movement of skilled professionals, and expanded educational pathways for Nigerian students within UK institutions.
In response, Lord Collins expressed the UK’s readiness to partner with Nigeria in areas of mutual interest and benefits to citizens of both countries, stating that the relationship would be “better strengthened through parliamentary contacts.” Following the public meeting, Kalu and Collins proceeded to a closed-door session for further deliberations.
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