UK ENVOY VISITS KWARA TO BOOST TRADE, INNOVATION, WOMEN INCLUSION
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Gill Lever has concluded a three-day visit to Kwara State aimed at strengthening economic cooperation, innovation, women’s inclusion, and security partnerships between the United Kingdom and Nigeria.
The visit, held between May 11 and 13, featured meetings with AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the state First Lady Olufolake AbdulRazaq, civil society groups, religious leaders, and security officials.
Lever also toured the Ilorin Innovation Hub, the Olufolake Safe Haven, and the Sexual Assault Referral Centre at Sobi Specialist Hospital. She also paid a courtesy visit to the Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari.
The visit followed President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to the UK in March 2026, described as the first by a Nigerian president in 37 years, which reportedly secured a £746 million ports agreement and expanded economic and security cooperation between both countries.
During discussions with Governor AbdulRazaq, Lever explored opportunities for job creation and investment through the UK-backed Manufacturing Africa initiative.
According to her, the programme is currently supporting two Kwara-based firms — Bespoke Design Concepts and Bacita Sugar Company — with technical support to attract investment and expand operations.
Lever also highlighted the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme, which grants duty-free or reduced-tariff access to about 3,000 Nigerian products entering the UK market.
She identified shea butter, cashew, and sesame as agricultural products with strong export potential from Kwara and urged the state government to sensitise local producers and exporters to the opportunities available.
The British envoy also discussed women’s economic empowerment, the Special Seats Bill, and efforts to combat gender-based violence during a meeting with the state First Lady.
The UK government, she noted, has supported the Nigerian Governors’ Spouses Forum for four consecutive years through technical and financial assistance targeted at addressing violence against women and girls.
At the Ilorin Innovation Hub, Lever met with young innovators and entrepreneurs, particularly women in technology, and announced UK support for the hub’s participation at London Tech Week 2026 scheduled for June 2026.
She said the initiative would help innovators from Kwara connect with investors, technology markets, and business networks in the UK.
The Deputy High Commissioner also met with Adekimi Ojo to discuss security collaboration and institutional strengthening between Nigeria and the UK.
Speaking at the end of the visit, Lever praised the Kwara State Government for promoting inclusion and youth development.
“Kwara has given us the warmest of welcomes, and it has been genuinely inspiring to see a state that is not just talking about change but delivering it,” she said.
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