‘3,500 Nigerian goods enjoy zero duties to UK’

Nigeria’s ambitions to become a leading export economy received a significant boost on Thursday with the official unveiling of the third phase of the UK-Nigeria Standards Partnership Programme — a technical cooperation initiative designed to remove trade barriers, improve product competitiveness, and enhance market access, especially for Nigerian exports to the United Kingdom.

The programme, implemented in collaboration with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), convened Nigerian enterprises, industry players, and government agencies to explore fresh avenues for promoting international trade and unlocking new opportunities for market expansion.

At the event, it was disclosed that no fewer than 3,500 Nigerian products currently enjoy zero-tariff import duties to the UK under the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) — a development widely hailed as a game-changer for Nigerian manufacturers, agribusinesses, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) seeking entry into premium global markets.

Organised under the framework of the Standards Partnership, the event sought to expand technical collaboration with the National Quality Council (NQC), support the rollout of Nigeria’s National Quality Policy, and strengthen the institutional frameworks of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the Nigerian National Accreditation body.

This phase of the programme builds on the strengthening UK-Nigeria trade relationship, amid rising interest from British businesses in Nigeria and other African markets, largely driven by the continent’s rich mineral deposits and untapped trade potential.

Launched officially in 2023 across 11 countries and regions — including Nigeria — the UK-Nigeria Standards Partnership Programme is designed to foster sustainable, inclusive economic growth by leveraging the use of international standards to improve trade practices.

Delivering the welcome address at the event, Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Quality Council, Mr. Ostia Aboloma, described the partnership as a pivotal step in repositioning Nigeria’s trade ecosystem. He noted that it offers a structured, strategic pathway for improving the country’s export capacity and aligning it with global quality benchmarks.

According to Aboloma:

“The Standards Partnership Programme is being undertaken between the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office on behalf of the UK Government and the National Quality Council on behalf of Nigeria, and is being implemented by the British Standards Institution.”

He explained that the programme specifically targets support for Nigeria, through the NQC, by facilitating the implementation of a contemporary National Quality Policy. This, he said, would strengthen the national quality infrastructure pillars — namely standards, conformity assessment, metrology, and accreditation — all toward improving operational efficiency and long-term sustainability in the trade sector.

“This, without doubt,” Aboloma said, “will enhance trading activities between the two countries via seamless import and export, as well as contribute immensely to economic development, job creation and social welfare.”

Also speaking at the event, Simeon Umukoro, Trade Market Access Lead at the UK High Commission, highlighted what he described as one of the programme’s most impactful achievements — the institutionalisation of metrology (the science of measurement) as a critical tool for boosting Nigeria’s trade competitiveness.

Umukoro noted that metrology plays a foundational role in ensuring product quality, regulatory compliance, and international trade acceptance. Its proper implementation, he said, will have a transformative effect on Nigeria’s ability to meet global export standards across key industries.

The launch of Phase 3 of the UK-Nigeria Standards Partnership Programme marks another milestone in the growing economic relationship between the two nations. Stakeholders from both the public and private sectors expressed optimism that the programme would catalyse reforms needed to improve trade flows, support industrial growth, and accelerate Nigeria’s path to becoming a global trade player.