The United Kingdom is poised to formalize a new agreement with Nigeria, paving the way for British lawyers to practice within the country. According to an official statement from the UK Department of Business and Trade, British Business and Trade Secretary, Kemi Badenoch, alongside her Nigerian counterpart, Doris Uzoka Anitie, Minister for Trade and Investment, are scheduled to sign a groundbreaking trade partnership known as the “Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP)” with Nigeria on Feb. 13.
This agreement marks the first of its kind between the UK and an African nation, aimed at bolstering the already thriving trading relationship between the UK and Nigeria, which reached £7 billion in 2023.
The ETIP is anticipated to break down barriers in legal services and the film industry, permitting UK lawyers to practice international law in Nigeria while fostering collaboration within the film and media sectors of both countries. Badenoch expressed enthusiasm for the ETIP, highlighting its potential to unlock exciting opportunities for both nations.
Uzoka-Anitie echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the agreement’s potential to transform historic ties into a dynamic trade partnership, facilitating increased market access and mutually beneficial exchanges between the UK and Nigeria.
During her visit to Nigeria, Badenoch is expected to tour the site of a new Charterhouse school, the first UK independent school in West Africa, and hold discussions with the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian finance minister to address trade barriers facing UK businesses.