Britain said on Thursday that its exit from the European Union will bring very little or no change in its bilateral relationship with Nigeria.
Britain’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Paul Arkwright, gave the assurance at a public lecture entitled: “BREXIT: Lessons, Challenges and Opportunities,” delivered at the Federal University, Lokoja.
According to Arkwright, what happens in Nigeria and the choices made by the Nigerian government will be more important for the country’s economy than whatever BREXIT may mean for Nigeria.
Arkwright said: “I am optimistic for the United Kingdom and I am optimistic for Nigeria.”
Arkwright insisted that oil or gas were not Nigeria’s most important resources but its people.
He said: “The human capital that Nigeria has Nigerians themselves and their drive, determination and ability to get things done often when facing considerable challenges, are what makes me optimistic about Nigeria’s future.”
The high commissioner explained that BREXIT will not in any way impact negatively on the historical and cultural links between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, the common language of English and the strong educational and business links.
Arkwight said: “If anything, I see our connection becoming stronger. The United Kingdom is naturally looking to grow its market share, to encourage more businesses to come to Nigeria and to invest and to encourage more inward investment into the United Kingdom from Nigeria.”
He, however, said he was not sure BREXIT meant more Nigerians travelling to the United Kingdom, adding that 90 per cent student visas and 70 per cent other category visas were granted to Nigerians in 2015.
The high commissioner hoped that BREXIT will mean more British travellers visiting Nigeria for the same reasons that Nigerians come to the United Kingdom.
He said: “I want people to come and explore the business opportunities that Nigeria offers. We think there are roughly 20,000 British and dual nationals living in Nigeria.
“That figure may and I hope it will grow as British businesses of all sizes are encouraged to look outward still further, to export and do business, creating jobs in Nigeria.”
Arkwright urged the Nigerian government to make the process of getting visas easier to facilitate exchange of goods and services between the two countries.
He said: “More Britons would come to Nigeria if it was simpler to apply for and the process for getting a visa was quicker.”
He expressed support for the ongoing adjustment by the government to diversify the nation’s economy, adding that the country can no longer depend solely on oil.
Arkwright urged the Federal Government to take the anti-corruption fight beyond arresting and prosecuting offenders and work more on changing the attitude and mindset of Nigerians.
He pledged the support of the British government for the anti-corruption fight, saying that Britain will surely return stolen funds to Nigeria.
The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, Prof. Angela Freeman-Miri, expressed delight over the choice of the high commissioner to deliver the lecture in the university.
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