By Emeka Aginam

The United kingdom Minister for Department for International Development (DFID) was in Nigeria recently to  review progress on the scale up of DFID’s development programmes.

The Head of Press & Public Affair of British High Commission in Nigeria, Robert Fitzpatrick, in a statement said that at the  conclusion of her visit to Nigeria, the UK DFID Minister for Africa said that, “I was delighted to meet with a whole range of dynamic leaders to understand Nigeria’s transformation agenda and challenges, and how the UK can best help.

“I was grateful for the opportunity to discuss recent developments with HE the Vice-President, in particular the serious challenges to Nigeria’s security posed by terrorism and insurgency. I was encouraged by his assurance that armed forces deploying under the state of emergency would  respect human rights.”

Ms Featherstone  who was in Nigeria  for three days also  visited Kano to review progress on the UK’s partnership with the State, including recent DFID support to the Government’s investment promotion and educational reforms.  In Abuja she met a number of ministers, the head of the new Sovereign Wealth Fund, and attended a Roundtable to discuss Nigeria’s participation in G8 events in London in June.

She joined a meeting chaired by the Federal Minister of Agriculture Akin Adesina, with officials from the Ministries of Health, Land and Agriculture, to understand Nigeria’s transformational plans on agricultural production, food security and nutrition.