Bob Dewar

SMEs help create employment in Nigeria

It is impressive how our small and medium sized businesses are still focused on exports, emerging from the global downturn just as determined as ever to break into new markets. I opened an exhibition of products, of some exporters from London who have an Afro-Caribbean background.

Valuable linkages are being made with Nigerian SMEs and small scale industry. I made the points in my speech that British products offer quality and international standards. Getting small scale businesses to prosper is part of getting the international commercial system to start operating again. SMEs help create employment in Nigeria too and the future here is to have an encouraging policy environment for this.

Building intra-regional trade in West Africa is an important part of the way forward for Africa, provided that inefficiencies and corruption are reduced. Certainly this is not the time for protectionism

Posted at 16:47 09 September 2009 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[0]

Great to see Lord Sebastian Coe in Abuja..

Great to see Lord Sebastian Coe in Abuja, Chairman of the London Organising Committee of the 2012 Olympic Games. I remember watching him break those 800 and 1500 metre records!

Besides talking to other organising committees and Olympic representatives from all round the world, he spared time to meet the Minister of Sport.  The London Games wants to be Games for everyone. And one of the great things about the 2012 Games is the International Inspirations project, which is linked to it and already under way. It will use the spirit of the Olympic Games to change the lives of young people in many countries all around the world and thus leave a special legacy.

What better way than sport to reach out to inspire youngsters- including the poor and disadvantaged- in countries such as Nigeria. I think sport can empower them, can motivate them, can bring them together, can give them hope, happiness, pride and friendship. With the help of the British Council and UK Sport this project will try to help the Nigerian Sports authorities to develop sports policies and curricula and activities over the next few years.  On that note I better stop blogging and go for a run!

Posted at 10:45 09 July 2009 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[0]

Sport is such a great way of empowering young people

Had an interesting chat with the Minister of Sport.  Sport is such a great way of empowering young people and getting communities involved, as well as bringing countries together. 

Minister has good ideas for improving facilities throughout the country, not just for football but for all sports.  Nigeria has such potential!  I explained how we hope that the Olympics in London will help bring about a "heritage" effect in many of our important partner countries such as Nigeria, e.g. helping bring sport into disadvantaged schools and improving the curricula, training etc. 

I also gave him a first hand account of the exciting launch last week at Wembley of the England 2018 World Cup bid which had been attended by David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and many of the 1966 team.

Not only does England already have great infrastructure, but also it has tremendous passion for the game on the part of its fans and communities at all levels.  Again, rather like the Olympics, it will be a tremendous event for the international community as well as for the UK.

Posted at 10:12 28 May 2009 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[0]

The rainy season has started

Back in the swing of things in Abuja after the FCO’s Leadership Conference in London and Easter.  The rainy season has started – huge storm in Abuja at the end of the week.  The meetings in London were very useful including with the Nigerian community who were predictably mostly interested in visa issues.  Also had a good meeting with West African Business Association (WABA) members.  International economic crisis is having an impact on Nigeria but there are still important opportunities and our Trade and Investment office are very active. 

Good to see that the England and Wales Law Association sent a trade delegation, (for the second year running) last week.  The way the legal system is intertwined with that of the UK is symbolic of the close relations in many special areas.  My own belief is that one of the best things we can do as British Government is to help Nigeria adopt international standards.  In fact the impact crisis on the Nigerian private sector has to some extent encouraged a move towards quality, including in the banking sector.  As customers get more choosy so it must be win-win for UK companies to offer highest international standards and corporate governance as part of the package.

Posted at 09:45 22 April 2009 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[0]

The days are getting colder..

Just finished a few weeks of training in London. One thing I have learnt is that one can never stop learning and developing. One of the courses was ‘leadership’. I offered my views that leadership includes liberating others to fulfil their own potential.

I’m glad we’ve greatly increased the training budget in our missions in Nigeria. Helping staff to take learning and development seriously is win win for everyone. I hope the quality of our performance and the high standards we set for ourselves can also have some influence outside the mission.

The days are getting colder in Britain so I’m looking forward to getting back to some African heat! I’ve talked to many Government colleagues in different Ministries about our busy work schedule in months ahead. We hope to do a lot in partnership with our new Ministry of Energy and Climate Change for example. But almost every part of the UK government is working with Nigeria –which shows how foreign and domestic policies are one and the same. Better governance, legitimate migration, links to international standards and skills, good services – these are all basic elements of what we try to contribute to every day on the ground.

Had some very useful meetings with important British companies and banks doing business with Nigeria. They are all watching the situation carefully and want to make the right – constructive - judgements as things move forward. Had a friendly meeting with my opposite number, the Nigerian High Commissioner and also met the head of the association of Nigerians in the UK, who can really make a positive contribution back in Nigeria.

Posted at 17:29 29 October 2008 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[0]

Business is booming

Down in Lagos again, the commercial capital of West Africa, that great sprawling city full of life and enterprise. This time for the visit of Andrew Cahn, Chief Executive of UK Trade and Investment. He coincided with a large mission from the London Chamber of Commerce.

Business is booming and there are opportunities for companies in many sectors if they keep their eyes wide open, find the right partners and ensure integrity. And it's not just in the oil and gas and financial services sectors. It was great to see a Yorkshire company providing street lighting! There are some new areas of opportunity including education, construction, infrastructure and agriculture.

Our young UKTI team are doing a great job. They are busy. There's a Nigerian saying 'grass does not grow on a busy road.' Loved their new offices with photos of artists and sports icons. By the way the Premier League here is a huge British brand, helped by the number of Nigerians and West Africans playing in it. Everyone is passionate about their teams. My driver supports Liverpool. Manchester United and Portsmouth played a friendly in Abuja this summer.

The boom in financial services in Nigeria has slightly been set back by a 'correction' in the local stock exchange in recent months- and the world situation now means many are reviewing their positions. But more Nigerian banks want to list in London. The theme is very much that London can provide the gateway for Nigeria to the globalised world. We've got the connections to the international standards and professional practice. Good performance on corporate governance would help change some perceptions abroad.

Since arriving in Nigeria I have been struck by the emerging middle class, plus a new generation of young Nigerians with world class professional skills, some of whom are returning. A great trend for the future. But there is a challenge in re-building the quality of local educational institutions - and providing skills below University level, to help youngsters get jobs.

Posted at 14:56 22 September 2008 by Bob Dewar  |  Comments[1]