UK Foreign Affairs Committee meets Diaspora Nigerians on Nigeria’s economy
By VICTORIA OJUGBANA, Lagos
The United Kingdom (UK) Foreign Affairs Committee has consulted with Nigerians living in the UK on better ways of improving the ties between Nigeria and Britain.
Chair, United Kingdom (UK) Foreign Affairs Committee, Tom Tugendhat MP, led a workshop organised by the committee, alongside local Bermondsey and Old Southwark, Neil Coyle MP, on Thursday, to Peckham, to meet with members of Nigerians in the Diaspora as part of the committee’s parliamentary inquiry into the relationship between UK and Nigeria.
The event, which saw the MPs dividing into groups with attendees, focused on different topics, such as Nigerian SME businesses and trade, education, and security and governance.
Tugendhat MP, said: “The Nigerian community is a growing community with interests that we share. You, the Diaspora, acts as a living bridge between our two communities, the UK and Nigeria.
“During the course of this inquiry, we have been reminded of the creativity and innovation generated from Nigeria and its Diaspora. Some of us have personally experienced the warmth of your culture both in the UK and in Nigeria and for others, this is a new experience.
“We want to hear from you who knows it best. We know Nigeria faces challenges, as well as opportunities. We want to hear what these are and how the UK government can partner with Nigeria in the coming years.”
Coyle MP, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Bermondsey and Old Southwark, following the session, said: “Hearing from members of Nigerians in the Diaspora has been invaluable, and the conversations we had today will play an important role in shaping our inquiry.
Nigerians in the Diaspora possess a wealth of knowledge and a richness of understanding that can only be gained through lived experience.
“I would like to thank the Southwark Nigeria community for deputising for Lagos. Nigeria and the UK already share close bonds, but from today’s session, it is clear that the UK can do more to support Nigerians, and to enable our countries to work closely together.” (Daily Independent)
