UK Poised to Double Trade Volume with Nigeria, Says Envoy

By Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto

The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arkwright, has said the United Kingdom is poised to double the trade volume between the two countries which is currently put at £4.2 billion annually.

He also said the UK has never abandoned Nigeria, despite the fact that it slipped behind some other countries, when it comes to trade and investment in the country.

The envoy made this known during a chat with some journalists shortly after a meeting with officials of the Sokoto State Investment Company in Sokoto on Friday.

He emphasised that the UK was determined to get back to the number one spot in terms of trade with Nigeria.

Arkwright noted that British companies had been operating in Nigeria for so many years and are still doing well.

“The current volume of our trade relationship is £4.2 billion annually and our ambition is to double it to reach £8 billion by 2030.

“We are looking at how we can improve our economic engagements and to
make it a win-win affair,” he stated.

The envoy, who pointed out that 5,000 Nigerians join the labour market daily, said the UK would do more to help create jobs in the country.

The envoy described the meeting as fruitful, adding that he saw opportunities in agriculture, mining and leather in the state.

“I will go back to Abuja and my country and talk about the abundant opportunities in the state. I will talk and encourage my people to come and invest in Sokoto,” he said.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the company, Alhaji Tukur Umar, urged the envoy to help showcase the potentials of the state in the global arena.

“We have abundant opportunities in Sokoto. We are endowed with a lot of natural resources, fertile soil for agricultural investment and leather, among others. We have also keyed into the federal government’s ease of doing business,” he added.