Nigerian Vice President Yemi
Osinbajo, SAN, receives UK Secretary of State for Foreign and
Commonwealth Affairs, Rt. Hon. Boris Johnson and the Secretary of state
for Internationals Development, RT. Hon. Priti Patel on a courtesy
visit, State House, Abuja. 31st August, 2017.
As the Buhari
administration continues its drives to promote private sector
partnership, it remains ready to provide the necessary assistance to
private investors looking to invest in the country, according to Vice
President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN.
Prof. Osinbajo stated this when
a delegation of UK Ministers led by British Foreign Secretary, Boris
Johnson paid him a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa today. Also
at the meeting were Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama and
Budget and National Planning Minister, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma.
The
Vice President said the relationship between Nigeria and United Kingdom
is very important, assuring that “the next few years are certainly
going to be more interesting”.
He mentioned that Nigeria has
huge potential and according to him, “investors would salivate if those
potentials were realised” and the country is “close to the tipping point
in terms of making that happen”.
He added that in terms of
trade, Nigeria had no choice but to diversify from oil and now more
attention is focused on agriculture, agro-processing and more interest
in technology.
According to the Vice President, “UK are our
natural partners and it is much easier for business because of the
relationship over time and because of the robust presence of the UK here
in Nigeria through the DFID which has been tremendously supportive’’.
In
the area of housing, Prof. Osinbajo stated that Nigeria would be
looking to partner with the United Kingdom, adding that government is
interested in construction companies with the expertise and technical
know-how to deliver mass housing projects across the country.
He
also emphasized the role of the private sector as well as the role of
government in creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive
in the country.
He assured investors that the Federal
Government is prepared to partner with them, provide assistance where
necessary and solve the problems as they emerge.
In his own
remarks, the UK’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Boris
Johnson, who observed that “Nigeria has an amazing future”, stated that
the United Kingdom is partnering with Nigeria in different areas
including intelligence sharing in the fight against terrorism.
Johnson
added that the UK is also working to build an economic partnership with
Nigeria given the country’s status as the powerhouse of Africa and the
biggest economy in the continent.
Priti Patel, Secretary of
State for International Development, Paul Arkwright, British High
Commissioner to Nigeria and other top officials were on the visit to the
Presidential Villa.
PHOTOS: NOVO ISIORO