A delegation from the British High Commission in Lagos has visited Akwa Ibom State to deepen trade and investment ties with Nigeria’s fast-growing southern region.
Deputy High Commissioner Johnny Baxter led the mission and was welcomed on Friday, September 12, 2025, by Governor Umo Eno at Government House, Uyo. The visit comes as the United Kingdom pursues broader commercial partnerships with African economies in the post-Brexit era.
Governor Eno outlined his administration’s ARISE Agenda, which focuses on industrialisation, job creation, and tourism. He highlighted flagship projects including the Liberty Oil and Gas Free Trade Zone, Ibom Industrial City, and Itam Industrial Park, stressing that Akwa Ibom was positioning itself as an investment hub in the Gulf of Guinea. Punchng reported
“This special relationship has also been extended to the sub-nationals like ours,” Eno said. “My administration has been working with the Tony Blair Institute in strategic areas, particularly tourism development, and I commend their partnership with us.”
The governor also revealed that underprivileged students had been sponsored to the United Kingdom for educational exchange programmes, while projects such as the Aviation Hub, Ibom Convention Centre, and Ikot Ekpene International Market were underway to boost trade and tourism.
Baxter, impressed by the state’s infrastructure and natural resources, expressed optimism about future collaborations. “The Commission in Lagos has a commercial focus and we are looking at business and trade in the southern areas of Nigeria,” he said. “Ibom Air, to my mind, feels like one of the best flight carriers in the country and everyone should be extraordinarily proud of it.”
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He added that Akwa Ibom’s green landscape and robust infrastructure underscored its agricultural potential. The delegation also toured the newly developed ARISE Resort, a 70-hectare ravine converted into a tourist attraction.
Other members of the British delegation included Mark Smithson, Country Director at the Department for Business and Trade; Dr. Fortune Alfred, Senior Political Adviser and Head of the British High Commission South-South Regional Office; and Wale Adebajo, Senior Political Adviser at the British Deputy High Commission, Lagos.
Akwa Ibom, one of Nigeria’s leading oil-producing states, has been working to diversify its economy. With signature projects like Ibom Air and the Ibom Industrial City, Governor Eno’s administration is positioning the state as a key gateway for trade and investment in West Africa.
The visit on September 12, 2025, reflects the UK’s growing interest in engaging directly with Nigerian states to drive foreign investment and strengthen commercial partnerships across Africa.
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Image Credit: Punchng
