UK, Nigeria boost trade relations by strengthening economic development
Flags of United Kingdom and Nigeria
The United Kingdom and Nigeria have shown their unwavering commitment to boost trade relations and driving economic growth through the implementation of Nigeria’s National Quality Policy under the Standards Partnership Programme– Phase II.
This was according to the statement from the British Deputy High Commission in Lagos on Monday.
Unveiled in June 2024, the SPP – Phase II aims to eliminate technical trade barriers, improve regulatory compliance, and promote export competitiveness between both nations.
The programme is a collaborative effort between the British Standards Institution and Nigeria’s National Quality Council, supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
The initiative focuses on building a robust quality infrastructure to improve standardisation, accreditation, conformity assessment, inspection, testing, and metrology services, all of which are essential to boosting trade capacity, attracting investment, and aligning with global standards.
An event in this initiative was the National Quality Policy Matrix Implementation Training-of-Trainers Workshop, held in Lagos and Abuja last week.
The workshop brought together stakeholders from both the public and private sectors to discuss capacity building for quality compliance and the critical role of metrology in ensuring accurate measurements, calibrations, and certifications of goods.
In his keynote address at the event in Abuja, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, underscored the importance of a strong National Quality Infrastructure for Nigeria’s economic diversification.
Akume highlighted how improving systems related to standards, metrology, and accreditation would help boost non-oil exports, create jobs, and strengthen the naira.
“A strong National Quality Infrastructure is essential for Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.
“Improving our standards, metrology, and accreditation systems can boost non-oil exports, create jobs, and strengthen the naira. This partnership with the UK is a major step forward in achieving these goals,” Akume said.
The Chairman of the National Quality Council, Osita Aboloma, welcomed the programme, emphasising the need for stakeholder collaboration to meet Nigeria’s quality and trade objectives.
Aboloma added that an effective quality infrastructure would not only support the government’s economic agenda but also enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in global markets.
“An effective quality infrastructure will not only support the Federal Government’s economic agenda but also enhance the competitiveness of Nigerian products and services in global markets,” the chairman added.
The role of data-driven quality policy implementation was also a key topic at the workshop, with discussions focusing on the importance of metrology, accreditation, and conformity assessments in ensuring that Nigerian exports meet international standards, thereby reducing rejections and enhancing market access.
The Trade Market Access Lead at the UK Department for Business and Trade, Simeon Umukoro, reiterated the UK’s continued support for Nigeria’s efforts to diversify its economy and improve trade.
He stated that strengthening Nigeria’s National Quality Infrastructure would unlock new opportunities for innovation and growth in both nations.
The UK and Nigeria share a long-standing trade relationship, with Nigeria being the UK’s 38th trading partner.
This collaboration aims to align industrial and machinery standards, improve regulatory cooperation, and support Nigeria’s role as a Digital Trade Champion under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
