President Tinubu hosts Duke Of Edinburgh at Aso Villa

President Bola Tinubu on Monday welcomed the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward, to the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Prince Edward arrived in the company of the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Sir Richard Montgomery, as part of a courtesy visit aimed at strengthening diplomatic relations between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.

Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, was also in attendance at the meeting, which underscored ongoing collaboration between both countries in areas of mutual interest.

A State House photograph showed Sir Richard Montgomery, Prince Edward, President Tinubu, and Wale Edun standing together during the engagement.

Additional photos released by the State House captured President Tinubu and Prince Edward in discussion during the visit.

Recall that in May, the United Kingdom and Nigeria had achieved a major economic milestone with bilateral trade currently valued at £7.2 billion, according to the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery.

Speaking at the UK-Nigeria Economic Growth Press Conference held in Abuja, Dr. Montgomery described the trade relationship as “vibrant, enduring, and multifaceted,”

The trade volume between the United Kingdom and Nigeria currently stands at £7.2billion,” he said.

Nigeria, now the UK’s second-largest trading partner in Africa and the top African destination for UK exports, has emerged as a critical market amid a new phase of bilateral cooperation.

Central to this evolving partnership is the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP), signed in February 2024—an unprecedented agreement marking the UK’s first and only bilateral trade and investment framework with an African country.

Describing ETIP as a “collaboratively crafted framework aimed at promoting inclusive advancement,” Dr. Montgomery underscored the agreement’s alignment with Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s growth agenda and President Bola Tinubu’s 8-Point Economic Agenda, both of which focus on job creation, economic expansion, and business reform.