The European country noted that the “Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP) is the first the UK has signed with an African country”.

The UK has said its partnership deal with Nigeria would boost trade and investment and unlock new opportunities for UK and Nigerian businesses.

A statement issued by the UK government on Tuesday said the partnership deal to be signed Tuesday, will create opportunities across a breadth of sectors crucial to both economies, such as financial and legal services.

According to the statement, “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”.

The European country noted that the “Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP) is the first the UK has signed with an African country”.

“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,” the statement said.

“The Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP) is the first the UK has signed with an African country and is designed to grow the UK and Nigeria’s already thriving trading relationship, which totalled £7 billion in the year to September 2023.”

“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.”

However, SaharaReporters noted that there is no part of the deal - based on the statement on the UK government site - that mentions that Nigerian lawyers will also be allowed to practise in the UK.

A Nigerian human rights activist and lawyer, Inibehe Effiong noted that if Nigeria will now allow British lawyers to just come in and practise, there should be a reciprocity clause that will allow Nigerian lawyers to also practise in the UK.

He said, “Except you are registered in the UK Bar, you cannot practise (in the UK as a Nigerian lawyer). They even have stricter regulations than Nigeria.

“I know that generally, foreign lawyers can practise in Nigeria with the permission of the Chief Justice of Nigeria but there are requirements to be met for that to happen. That possibility is already provided for under the Legal Practitioners Act but it is hardly invoked because of its conditions.”

“But if Nigeria is going to allow UK lawyers to just come and practise, there has to be a reciprocity clause, otherwise it doesn't make any sense,” Effiong added.

The UK Business and Trade Secretary, Kemi Badenoch, A British-Nigerian, said: “This partnership with Nigeria – the UK’s first with an African country – will allow us to work together and seize the opportunities that lie ahead.

“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.”

Badenoch will sign the ETIP alongside Nigerian Trade Minister Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite in Abuja on Tuesday (today).

While in Nigeria, Badenoch will visit the site of a new Charterhouse school, the first UK independent school in West Africa and meet with the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian Finance Minister to unblock trade barriers facing UK businesses.

Nigerian Minister for Trade Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite said: “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.

“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 accelerate greater investments in sectors of mutual interests.”