Nigeria 2015: analysis of election issues and future prospects
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UK-Nigeria relationsOverviewLike the US, the UK views Nigeria as a key strategic partner in Africa but has longstanding concerns about the country’s governance and security. For its part, while Nigeria acknowledges the importance of the bilateral relationship today, official attitudes do sometimes echo a certain level of underlying public mistrust of the former colonial power and its motives.152 The UK has identified seven priorities for its strategic partnership with Nigeria. They are:
An issue which has sometimes complicated UK-Nigeria relations has been criticism of the Anglo-Dutch oil company Shell by international and local campaigners. Criticisms have ranged from Shell’s alleged implication in human rights abuses committed by the Nigerian security forces to its failure to prevent or adequately compensate local communities for oil spills in the Niger Delta. In January 2015, Shell agreed a £55 million settlement with residents of the Bodo community in the Niger Delta for two oil spills in 2008 and 2009. This is said to be the first deal of its kind in Nigeria.154 SecurityNigeria-UK co-operation to combat security threats has had by far the highest public and media profile recently. Such cooperation has often not gone entirely smoothly. The British Government has had reservations about aspects of Nigeria’s policy on counterterrorism based mainly on the poor human rights record of its security forces. It has been correspondingly cautious about the assistance it has offered. To the reported frustration of the Nigerian Government, in the past this has limited the scope of UK involvement in military training programmes for forces deployed on counterinsurgency operations.155 However, as with the US, the kidnapping of about 270 schoolgirls by Boko Haram in April 2014 led to assistance being stepped up. In the immediate aftermath, the UK Government sent three teams of advisors in Nigeria, including experts in counter-terrorism, hostage negotiation and victim support, assisted by an RAF Sentinel reconnaissance aircraft from 5 (Army Cooperation) Squadron that was based in Ghana. The Sentinel aircraft appears to have been withdrawn since then.156 At a regional security conference in London in June 2014, measures to increase British involvement in training Nigerian security forces deployed on counterinsurgency operations were announced. The then Foreign Secretary William Hague said: We will increase our work with the Nigerian Government to strengthen its capacity to deal with Boko Haram. This will mean significantly expanding the training and tactical assistance that the UK provides to the Nigerian Armed Forces. This will include helping to train units deployed on counter insurgency operations against Boko Haram in North East Nigeria. We will also provide further assistance to regional security and intelligence cooperation. We also want to make sure that Boko Haram does not succeed in its twisted mission to deny education to girls, so together with the US, we will boost our education programmes to draw a million more boys and girls into education in Northern Nigeria. We will be increasing our support for girl’s education to help better protect those who are most vulnerable. And through our Department for International Development, we will do even more to help Nigeria and the region deliver development and prosperity, ensuring that basic services and infrastructure are provided to those communities most at risk.157 In August 2014 three Tornado GR4 from 2 (Army Cooperation) Squadron were sent to the region. They were based at the French airbase at N'Djamena, Chad. The Tornados provided intelligence, surveillance, targeting, acquisition and reconnaissance capabilities. They appear to have been withdrawn since then.158 The Daily Telegraph reported in November 2014 that the UK was considering sending additional trainers to Nigeria following a request from the Nigerian Government.159 However, there have been no official statements announcing any additional training provision, which makes it unlikely that it has been provided. The UK Government has recently expressed concern that military equipment given by Western countries to the Nigerian army has gone missing and that money donated to purchase such equipment has been misappropriated.160 It has made it clear that no British troops will be deployed on the ground in Nigeria in anything other than a training capacity.161 The UK has long had a small, permanent British Military Advisory and Training Team (BMATT) based in Nigeria, which provides military training and advice. Members of the Nigerian armed forces attend UK training establishments. The UK helped to establish the Joint Maritime Security Training Centre in Lagos in 2010 as part of the UK’s efforts to assist Nigeria in combating maritime piracy. HMS Portland, a Type 23 frigate, visited Lagos in March 2014. Sailors and Royal Marines conducted training with Nigerian sailors TradeNigeria ran a goods trade deficit with the UK between 1995 and 2010 and has run a surplus since then. 162 
Nigerian goods exports to the UK doubled between 2007 and 2008 from $0.6 billion to $1.4 billion, before increasing further between 2010 and 2011 from $1.2 billion to $4 billion. Goods export values have remained above $4 billion ever since, peaking in 2012. These increases have been due to increased levels of oil exports. In 2013, the UK was Nigeria’s 8th largest export market. Oil and natural gas made up 85% of Nigerian exports to the UK. The UK was Nigeria’s single largest source of imported goods between 1999 and 2001, before being overtaken by the US and subsequently China. Nigerian goods imports from the UK peaked at $2.8 billion in 2008 and have fluctuated in subsequent years. In 2013, Nigeria imported $2.2 billion worth of British goods, 4% of total imports. Nigeria’s largest goods imports from the UK were manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment.163
AidDFID’s programmes are strongly focused on northern states in Nigeria. DFID’s top priorities in Nigeria are: providing more people with better services, including education, healthcare and access to safe water and sanitation helping Nigeria use its oil revenues to improve the lives of its citizens help establish an enabling governance environment for tackling corruption and enhancing transparency and accountability164 The UK is Nigeria’s second biggest bilateral aid donor. DFID expenditure during 2013/14 was £266.2m.165 During the present financial year (2014/15), DFID plans to spend £275m in Nigeria in the following sectors:
During 2014, the DFID-funded State Accountability and Voice (SAVI programme), which operates across ten of Nigeria’s states, received positive reviews as an exemplar of “politically smart, locally led development”.167 DFID does not currently allow UK funds to go through Nigerian government structures. DFID’s 2011-15 Operational Plan says: DFID will continue to avoid putting any UK funds through government systems because of concerns about fiduciary risk, and avoiding the substitution of Nigerian resources with UK aid.168 In 2013, DFID published an Anti-Corruption Strategy for Nigeria.169
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