The former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has held high-level discussions in London aimed at attracting trade opportunities and boosting the growth of small businesses in Nigeria. The meeting focused on how international partnerships can help advance the Nigerian economy through targeted investments in key sectors.
According to a report by Tribune Online on 13 May 2026, Obi met with Lord Jonathan Marland and other influential members of the British business community. Lord Marland currently serves as the Chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council.
Obi said that the engagement centered on creating strategic support for Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs). He noted that empowering these businesses is the most effective way to stimulate economic development and create jobs for the youth.
The former Anambra State governor pointed to the examples of China, Indonesia, and Vietnam as nations that transformed their economies. He explained that these countries achieved rapid growth by focusing on manufacturing and consistently funding small business owners.
Obi argued that small businesses are the actual engine of the Nigerian economy and must be protected with strong institutional policies. He stated that a focus on MSMEs would directly reduce the high poverty rate and improve general productivity across the federation.
“As I have consistently asserted, our micro, small, and medium enterprises serve as the driving force behind economic growth, and it is imperative that we provide them with vigorous support to enhance development and create significant employment opportunities, particularly within the agriculture and manufacturing sectors,” Obi said in a statement.
He added that his discussions in London also touched on prospective trade advancements that could benefit Nigeria. The former governor maintained that strengthening the manufacturing sector through small business support remains the surest path to tackling unemployment…….See More
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