The United Kingdom has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to supporting governance reforms and sustainable development in northern Nigeria following high-level engagements with the governments of Kano and Jigawa states.
The British High Commission in Abuja disclosed on Wednesday that the Head of Development Cooperation, Ms. Cynthia Rowe, held strategic meetings with governors, senior government officials and civil society leaders in both states to strengthen bilateral cooperation and consolidate ongoing reform initiatives.
According to the Commission, the engagements reflect the UK’s evolving development strategy, which prioritises partnership, state-led ownership and sustainable growth through investment, trade, climate financing, technical assistance and mutual accountability.
The UK described Nigeria as one of its most important global development partners, noting that the discussions further underscored the expanding bilateral relationship between both countries following the recent UK-Nigeria State Visit.
In Kano State, Rowe met with Deputy Governor Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo, the newly confirmed Head of Civil Service, the Secretary to the State Government and other senior officials. Discussions focused on Kano’s progress in climate finance, healthcare reforms and private sector investment initiatives supported by UK-backed technical assistance programmes.
In Jigawa State, Rowe held talks with Governor Umar Namadi and heads of ministries, departments and agencies, where both parties reviewed more than 25 years of UK-Jigawa development cooperation, described as one of the longest-running subnational bilateral partnerships in Nigeria.
The meeting examined achievements in healthcare delivery, agriculture and governance reforms, while also exploring future collaboration under ongoing UK-supported development programmes.
The British High Commission also highlighted the impact of the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) programme, which since 2022 has supported Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa states in strengthening education delivery systems through ministries of education and related agencies.
According to the Commission, the programme’s RANA+ foundational learning packages have reached approximately 1.4 million pupils across the three states between 2022 and 2026.
Speaking at the conclusion of the visit, Rowe reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to inclusive growth and sustainable development across Nigeria.
“For more than 25 years, we have worked side by side with state governments including Jigawa and Kano states, their communities and civil society to build stronger health systems, improve learning outcomes for millions of children, support farmers to grow their businesses and help states attract the investment they need to thrive,” she said.
She added that the engagements reinforced confidence in the future of the partnership and the prospects for deeper collaboration in delivering long-term development outcomes across northern Nigeria.
The High Commission further disclosed that the UK-funded Propcom+ agriculture programme is supporting agribusinesses to improve food security and expand market opportunities for smallholder farmers, while the PACE programme continues to provide technical support on climate governance, revenue generation and private investment through its regional hub in Kano.
It added that the UK also remains a major contributor to the World Bank-supported HOPE-Edu, HOPE-Gov and HOPE-PHC programmes aimed at strengthening reforms in education, governance and primary healthcare delivery across participating states.
