By Milton Tella – The Rt. Honourable Florence Eshalomi MP, UK Prime Minister’s Envoy to Nigeria on Trade and Investment hosted His Excellency, Senator Ademola Adeleke, the executive Governor of Osun State at the House of Commons on Tuesday 8 April 2025.
Governor Adeleke is on a working visit to the United Kingdom to drive investment to Osun State. The governor used the opportunity to promote the state as a top investment destination with comparative advantage in the areas of agriculture, mining, creative economy, digital economy and others.
During the interaction with the Prime Minister’s Envoy, Rt. Hon Florence Eshalomi MP, Governor Ademola Adeleke tasked the United Kingdom government to focus on subnational investment in Nigeria with emphasis on Osun State which he called the heartland of South Western Nigeria.
“Aside from binational collaboration, we advocate a further linkage between the British economy and subnational entities in Nigeria. The openings and prospects are too much to be ignored”, the Governor canvassed.
Making a strong case for Osun state as an investment destination, Senator Adeleke noted that “Osun presents a rare opportunity for such an economic partnership. Osun state, with a population of about five million people, is the heartland of Yoruba people. South West comprises six states, but Osun state is at the core.
Responding to the address by the Governor, the UK Prime Minister’s Envoy expressed delight at the progress so far recorded by the Osun state government in the areas of attracting foreign direct investment.
She particularly noted that the current global uncertainty provides incentive for new investment focus, identifying key positive indices that drive investment as noted in the Governor’s address.
Hon Eshalomi said she has the mandate of the UK Prime Minister to forge closer links for investment between UK and Nigeria businesses, expressing happiness that Osun state Chamber of Commerce was represented at the meeting.
She acknowledged that Osun has done the spade work in the area of regulatory environment, ease of doing business, investment protection and reliable investment partners, pledging to ensure positive outcome on the engagement between Osun and the UK government.
According to the Spokesperson to the State Governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed. The major highlight of the meeting was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for investment facilitation between the Osun State Government and a UK investment facilitation firm, ESG Management Services UK Limited.
The purpose of this MoU is to establish a collaborative framework through which ESGMS will assist the Osun State Government in sourcing and facilitating investment opportunities from UK-based companies in the sectors of agriculture, manufacturing, solid minerals, and other strategic areas. ESGMS will work to identify, manage, and position Osun State’s public assets to be investment-ready for UK trade and business interest.
The MOU was signed on behalf of Osun state government by the Secretary to the State Government, Hon Teslim Igbalaye while Francisco Toju Da-Silva signed for the ESG team.
Members of the Osun State government who accompanied the Governor include the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning. Prof Moruf Adeleke; Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Rev Bunmi Jenyo; Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon Tola Faseru; Special Adviser to the Governor on SDG, Hon Bamikole Omishore; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs Yetunde Esan; Vice President, Osun State Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mallam Olawale Rasheed.
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