No Concrete Benefits for Nigerians from Tinubu’s UK Visit — Chatham House Expert

Leena Koni Hoffmann, an associate fellow at Chatham House, has said President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to the United Kingdom has not produced tangible benefits for ordinary Nigerians.

In a publication released on Saturday, Hoffmann assessed the administration’s foreign policy engagements, describing the UK visit as a high-profile diplomatic outing with limited domestic impact.

“The Nigerian president’s visit to the UK was his latest high-profile foreign policy moment on the world stage,” she wrote. “But Tinubu’s diplomatic engagements have not produced concrete benefits for ordinary Nigerians.”

She noted that while the administration has sought international backing for key reforms—including fuel subsidy removal, naira devaluation and tax changes—these efforts have yet to translate into improved living conditions nearly three years into the presidency.

According to Hoffmann, key economic indicators remain under pressure. She cited persistent poverty, rising food insecurity, weak household spending and limited access to affordable credit for small businesses as ongoing concerns.

She further observed that economic growth has been uneven, with gains concentrated in capital-intensive sectors such as finance and information technology, while agriculture continues to face structural challenges and insecurity.

Hoffmann also warned that gaps in education, healthcare and workforce skills could have long-term consequences for Nigeria’s economic prospects.

On the UK visit, she said discussions would likely focus on the UK–Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership, aimed at boosting investment in sectors such as energy, infrastructure and technology. However, she cautioned that such investments alone may not address deeper structural problems, including insecurity and weak public services.

Reacting to the analysis, Daniel Bwala, special adviser to the president on policy communication, said it was too early to judge the outcomes of the trip.

He argued that diplomatic engagements require time to yield results and pointed to a loan agreement for the rehabilitation of two seaports in Lagos as an early outcome linked to the visit.