UKTI helps London's African Caribbean businesses export to Nigeria

Chief Executive of UK Trade and Investment Andrew Cahn is visiting Nigeria and Ghana to look at deepening bilateral trade. He will meet some of London's African Caribbean businesses today who are being helped by UKTI London to export to Nigeria, a market of 140 million people.


Already, the UK is the number one foreign investor in both countries.

Oil-rich Nigeria is the UK’s second biggest trading partner in Africa. Exports of goods and services from the UK are now almost £2 billion per year. Mr Cahn’s visit to Ghana comes shortly after the discovery of a major deep-sea oilfield.

Commenting on the visit, Mr Cahn said: “Nigeria and Ghana offer great opportunities for UK business in many sectors. These are not limited to oil and gas, but include financial and legal services, ICT, education and skills among others. For British companies interested in these opportunities, UKTI has the local expertise to help your business to succeed.”

Mr Cahn, who is in Nigeria from 14-16 September, will be meeting representatives of almost 50 British companies on two trade missions. One is led by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the other by Compass Consulting, which has gathered a wide-ranging group of London-based African Caribbean companies including fashion, design, legal, cosmetics and food firms.

Peter Stephenson, Director of UKTI Nigeria, said: "Because of the strong historical, language and constitutional ties between the UK and Nigeria, the UK is among the first countries that Nigerians look to for goods and services. Exports of goods are worth £1,013 million in 2007, and exports of services valued at £913 million in 2006."

Mr Cahn will be in Ghana from 16-18 September accompanying a trade mission from the Law Society of England and Wales, which includes seven firms, and another organised by the UK West Africa Action Group. He will attend an oil and gas workshop there.

The UK West Africa Action Group visit is one of the first oil and gas trade missions to Ghana since the announcement by Tullow Oil & Kosmos of significant oil discoveries in the deep-water Jubilee Field.

Commenting on the visit, trade mission leader Jon Woodwards said: “Ghana has to rapidly establish an oil and gas supply chain and the infrastructure required to host the industry… The UK is recognised as a world leader in sub-sea technologies and these lend themselves to Ghana’s future deepwater development projects.”`

For more information please contact the UKTI Press Office on 020 7215 8483.

Case study

TC Woman – Taking Nigeria by design

UKTI London is supporting a trade mission led by Compass Consulting of London-based African Caribbean businesses, helping them to sell to Nigeria’s market of 140 million people.

The mission is being led by Tokunbo Chiedu, from TC Woman – African by Design. The UK-based entrepreneur (pictured) designs shirts that are cut to fit for professional women from sizes 6-24.

The other companies visiting Nigeria are from the fields of design, media, legal services, cosmetics and food.

A number of eligible companies have received financial support for the mission from UKTI London.

On the trade mission are Stanford Estate, LD Designs, Face the Facts, Dentist@W2, Obaseki Solicitors, Smoody POD Group, Smoody Group International, Urbanis Construction Management. Afristorical Calendar, TIO Marketing, Candi Donut, Urban Image Consultancy, Become- Designed to Inspire, ETP Consultants, Waakei Ltd, BEN TV, OBE TV, Princess of Arize, Hidden Treasures, Asiko House of Foods, Dalgety Teas, Exquisite Magazine, London Academy, Vivo Lifestyle, Q2-Designs for Living and Computer Business Solution.

To find out more about UKTI London visit www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk.


UKTI helps London's African Caribbean businesses export to Nigeria | Business | Ethnic Now