An economist, Akpan Ekpo, has warned that the recently signed port rehabilitation agreement between Nigeria and the United Kingdom could leave the country with more debt while offering limited economic benefits.
Speaking on Television, Ekpo argued that the deal—part of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent UK visit—may largely favour British economic interests.
According to Ekpo, the proposed rehabilitation of the Apapa Port and Tin Can Island Port could strengthen British industries rather than Nigeria’s.
He said most equipment and technical inputs would come from the UK, boosting its steel and banking sectors while increasing Nigeria’s financial obligations.
The economist also warned that many of the jobs created through the project might ultimately benefit British workers instead of Nigerians.
However, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs, Jimoh Ibrahim, praised Tinubu’s diplomatic outreach.
He described the UK engagement as a strategic step that reinforces Nigeria’s relevance in an evolving global order marked by geopolitical competition and cooperation.
Ibrahim added that Tinubu’s interaction with the British monarchy under Charles III reaffirmed long-standing historical and institutional ties between both countries.
According to him, the visit demonstrated Nigeria’s readiness to navigate shifting global alliances while maintaining its commitment to multilateral diplomacy.
Meanwhile, human rights lawyer Femi Falana criticised aspects of the migration partnership signed during the visit.
Falana argued that the agreement—designed to accelerate the deportation of Nigerians without legal status in the UK—could undermine due process and constitutional rights by allowing deportations without proper identity verification or adequate opportunity to challenge removal.