Senate President Godswill Akpabio has urged the United Kingdom to strengthen its investment presence in Nigeria, particularly in the oil and mining sectors, while calling for expanded legislative cooperation between the two countries.
Akpabio made the appeal on Wednesday in Abuja when the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Peter Vowles, paid him a courtesy visit at his office.
He said Nigeria and the UK should build on their longstanding historical, economic and trade relations by expanding parliamentary exchanges, improving legislative cooperation and creating more opportunities for British investors.
“The history of Nigeria will not be complete without the United Kingdom. For us in Nigeria, London is like a second home,” the Senate President said.
Akpabio noted that lawmakers from both countries had maintained relations through parliamentary visits and exchanges, including engagements involving members of the UK House of Commons and Nigeria’s National Assembly.
He said the relationship should be strengthened through more exchange programmes to improve legislative capacity, promote the sharing of experiences and deepen institutional ties.
“We want to deepen our relationship. We want to be able to have a lot of exchange programmes that will enable us to learn more and expand the relationship between Nigerian Parliament as a whole and the United Kingdom in the area of legislation,” he said.
The Senate President also referred to the recent state visit of President Bola Tinubu to the UK, saying the engagement with King Charles III underscored the importance attached to relations between both countries.
He maintained that Nigeria’s strategic importance went beyond its population, pointing to its economic influence and security responsibilities across Africa.
Akpabio urged the British envoy to encourage investors from the UK to explore opportunities in Nigeria’s oil and mining industries, saying stronger economic partnerships could deliver benefits to both countries.
He argued that improvements in Nigeria’s investment climate, ease of doing business and arrangements for the repatriation of investment proceeds had made the country more attractive to foreign investors.
“Anything you invest in Nigeria, you will go back with profits,” he said, urging Vowles to communicate the message to British businesses seeking investment opportunities.
The appeal comes amid efforts to attract foreign capital into key sectors of the Nigerian economy, with the Senate President highlighting the potential for stronger commercial ties between Abuja and London.
Earlier, Vowles said his visit was intended to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to strengthening relations with Nigeria’s parliament and expanding cooperation between the two countries.
He said the British government had tasked him with identifying opportunities to deepen bilateral ties, describing the relationship between the UK and Nigeria’s National Assembly as longstanding.
“We have a long-standing relationship with the National Assembly, both houses. We will continue to partner with you where you require UK support and partnership,” the British High Commissioner said.
The meeting underscored the two countries’ interest in sustaining parliamentary engagement while exploring opportunities to expand trade, investment and institutional cooperation.
