UK Partners Abia For Economic Growth

The United Kingdom (UK) has taken a significant step to partner with sub national governments in Nigeria to bring economic growth and development closer to the people.

Indications to this development emerged when the British High Commissioner to Nigeria Dr. Richard Montgomery visited Umuahia, Abia State between the 20th and 21st of August for high-level discussions with the state governor, key government stakeholders, and business leaders.

A statement issued on Thursday by Atinuke Akande-Alegbe, Senior Communications & Public Diplomacy Officer at the British High Commission in Abuja, said that during the two-day visit, the High

Commissioner visited the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti where they discussed prosperity opportunities and future priorities that could be beneficial to the state and the UK.

Together with the Governor, the High Commissioner attended the graduation ceremony of the State-Level Inclusive Digital Transformation Programme funded through the UK’s Digital Access Programme (DAP). The programme was designed to bridge the digital skills gap by delivering relevant and applicable digital skills for the state’s civil servants, the statement said.

The High Commissioner also visited the Geometric Power Company, met the team developing the Abia Innovation Industrial Park, and the Aba Chamber of Commerce. He also toured an industrial fair showcasing small and medium scale manufacturers. Discussions focused on the opportunities for growth and partnerships with UK businesses where possible. He sought their insights and advice on efforts to advance UK investment in the state.

The UK delegation included the UK’s Country director for the Department for Business and Trade, Mark Smithson, and the British High Commission’s political counsellor, Tom Burge. They also visited the National War Museum in Umuahia which showcases the history of Nigeria.

At the end of the visit, the British High Commissioner, Dr. Richard Montgomery, said: “Visiting Abia State for the first time was a great opportunity to engage and interact with key stakeholders. Abia state is key to boosting Nigeria’s economic prosperity and the UK is committed to driving that growth.

“We very much want to develop our partnership – both with the state government and the good people of Abia State – to enhance prosperity in the region.”

The UK’s Country director for the Department for Business and Trade, Mark Smithson said: “The UK’s Department for Business and Trade in Nigeria is well placed to support the Abia State government and the private sector to drive trade in the state.

“We look forward to building on discussions we had, strengthening our ties and exploring areas of collaboration and partnerships to boost trade, and deliver prosperity to both our countries.”