UK Reaffirms Long‑Term Development Partnership with Kano and Jigawa

The United Kingdom has reaffirmed its long‑term commitment to supporting development and governance reforms in northern Nigeria after high‑level meetings with the governments of Kano and Jigawa states.

The British High Commission in Abuja announced on Wednesday that Ms. Cynthia Rowe, Head of Development Cooperation, conducted strategic talks with governors, senior officials and civil society leaders in both states to deepen bilateral cooperation and advance ongoing reforms.

According to the Commission, the meetings reflected the UK’s contemporary development philosophy, which is based on partnership, state‑led ownership and sustainable progress achieved through investment, trade, climate financing, technical assistance and shared accountability.

The UK described Nigeria as one of its most important global development partners, noting that the discussions further strengthened the growing relationship between the two countries after 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.

The talks highlighted Kano’s progress in climate finance, healthcare reforms and private‑sector investment initiatives supported by UK‑backed technical assistance programmes.

In Jigawa State, Rowe spoke with Governor Umar Namadi and heads of ministries, departments and agencies. The parties reviewed over 25 years of UK‑Jigawa development cooperation, described as one of the longest‑running subnational bilateral partnerships in Nigeria.

The meeting focused on achievements in healthcare delivery, agriculture and governance reforms, and on future collaboration under ongoing UK‑supported technical assistance initiatives.

The British High Commission also highlighted the impact of the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) programme, which since 2022 has helped Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa states strengthen education delivery systems through ministries of education and related agencies.

According to the Commission, PLANE’s RANA+ foundational learning packages have reached about 1.4 million pupils across the three states between 2022 and 2026.

Speaking at the conclusion of the visit, Rowe said the UK remains committed to working with Nigerian states to drive inclusive growth and sustainable development.

“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 visits reinforced confidence in the partnership’s future and the potential for deeper collaboration to deliver lasting development outcomes across northern Nigeria.

The British High Commission further noted that its Propcom+ agriculture programme is currently 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 from its regional hub in Kano.

It added that the UK remains a major contributor to the HOPE‑Edu, HOPE‑Gov and HOPE‑PHC World Bank‑supported programmes focused on reforms in education, governance and primary healthcare delivery across participating states.