UK To Sign Deal To Enable British Lawyers Practice In Nigeria

The UK and Nigeria are about to formally sign a new deal that would allow British solicitors to practise law in Nigeria.

The UK’s Department of Business and Trade has released an official statement stating that Nigeria’s Minister for Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka Anitie, and British Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch will be signing a historic trade agreement known as the “Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP)” with Nigeria.

It is scheduled to be signed today, February 13.

The statement clarified that the UK and Nigeria intend to expand their already prosperous commercial relationship, which reached £7 billion in trade in 2023. The Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP) is the first agreement the UK has signed with an African nation.

By permitting UK lawyers to practise international law in Nigeria, this new agreement is also anticipated to remove obstacles in the legal services and film industries and promote cooperation between the media and film sectors in both nations.

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The statement reads: “It will see Nigeria commit to working towards removing barriers preventing UK lawyers from practising international and foreign law in Nigeria, a step that could significantly increase UK legal services exports.

“It will also pave the way for further collaboration in the film and media industry and encourage world-leading UK education providers to offer high-quality education in Nigeria.

“Nigeria is the biggest economy in Africa and one of the world’s fastest-growing economies — predicted to be in the top 20 by GDP by 2035.

“It is also predicted by the UN to nearly double its population to over 370 million people by 2050.”

Badenoch conveyed her excitement for the ETIP, emphasising how it might open up a plethora of fascinating prospects for both nations.

“This partnership with Nigeria — the UK’s first such agreement with an African country — will allow us to work together and seize the opportunities that lie ahead,” she said.

“Nigeria has one of the fastest growing economies in the world. UK businesses have already seen huge success here and I look forward to seeing how we continue to grow this relationship.”

Uzoka-Anitie echoed her confidence, hailing the new cooperation as a means of achieving economic advancement.

She emphasised how the deal may strengthen market access and mutually beneficial exchanges between the UK and Nigeria, thereby transforming historic links into a thriving trading partnership.

“The UK is one of our long-standing strategic partners with whom we share strong ties, and it gladdens me that this relationship is set to deepen as we sign the Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement,” Uzoka-Anitie said.

“This partnership will see Nigeria-UK relations move beyond one of shared history and strong ties to one of shared economic prosperity.

“From increasing market access and supporting our vibrant businesses to creating more jobs and accelerating greater investments in sectors of mutual interests.”

In order to remove trade obstacles facing UK companies, the statement stated that Badenoch will be meeting with the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian finance minister while in the country. The new Charterhouse school will be the first independent UK school in West Africa.