A 17-member delegation of British creative industry leaders has concluded a week-long trade mission in Lagos, laying the groundwork for expanded commercial partnerships ahead of the landmark UK-Nigeria Season of Culture in 2028.
The visit, announced in a statement by Ndidiamaka Eze, Senior Press and Public Affairs Officer at the UK High Commission in Abuja, brought together creative professionals from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland spanning film, television, music, fashion, literature, theatre, and visual arts.
During the mission, the delegation held roundtables with Nigerian counterparts, cultural institutions, and policymakers alongside key industry gatherings, including the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), the Creative Africa Nexus Weekend (CANEX WKND), Lagos Fringe, and Art X Lagos.
Deliberations focused on critical growth drivers for the creative economy, including skills transfer, intellectual property (IP) protection, access to growth capital, co-production capabilities, and distribution channels.
Strengthening Strategic Trade Frameworks
The mission directly supported the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP) Creative Industries Technical Working Group. Formed in March 2025, the joint working group brings government and private sector stakeholders together to eliminate regulatory barriers and unlock commercial opportunities across advertising, architecture, design, fashion, film, gaming, music, and television.
Commenting on the collaboration, the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Obi Asika, emphasized the need to translate creative talent into sustainable enterprise.
”For me, the real measure of success will be what lasts beyond 2028: the tours, collaborations, publishing deals, television projects, fashion partnerships, and new businesses that grow from the relationships we are building now,” Asika stated.
Building Mutual Commercial Value
British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Jonny Baxter, reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to acting as a long-term commercial and cultural partner to Nigeria’s creative sector, noting that long-term success relies on addressable trade barriers and sustained cross-border ventures.
Echoing these sentiments, the Country Director of the British Council in Nigeria, Donna McGowan, stressed that the primary objective is ensuring cultural exchanges generate enduring value for both nations leading up to 2028.
Highlighting the collaborative spirit of the exchange, delegate Selina Brown, Founder and CEO of the Black British Book Festival, described her Lagos engagements with writers, publishers, and visual artists as deeply inspiring. She noted that future partnerships must remain “genuinely mutual, rooted in collaboration rather than the idea that knowledge only flows in one direction.”
Organizers confirmed that both UK and Nigerian stakeholders will now follow up on priority introductions, policy dialogues, and joint project pipelines established during the summit.
