British MP Florence Eshalomi has been appointed as the United Kingdom’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria, making her the second Nigerian to hold the position after Helen Grant.
Eshalomi confirmed her appointment on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, expressing her commitment to strengthening economic ties between the UK and Nigeria. “It is an honour to have been appointed as the United Kingdom’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria,” she wrote. “I’m looking forward to building on my close ties with Nigeria to promote a strong and flourishing economic relationship between our two great nations.”
Her appointment was part of a broader announcement by the UK’s Business and Trade Secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, who unveiled 32 new trade envoys tasked with expanding British trade and investment across key global markets. Reynolds highlighted the crucial role trade envoys play in unlocking new business opportunities and driving economic growth.
Eshalomi, 44, has been a Member of Parliament (MP) for Vauxhall since 2019, later re-elected in 2024 for the newly created Vauxhall and Camberwell Green constituency. A member of the Labour and Cooperative parties, she previously served as a London Assembly Member for Lambeth and Southwark (2016–2021), where she focused on transport, housing, and equality issues.
Currently, she chairs the Housing, Communities, and Local Government Committee in the UK Parliament. Eshalomi holds a BA Honours in Political and International Studies with Law from Middlesex University and began her career at Sainsbury’s at age 16 before transitioning into public affairs and policy roles.
Her extensive background in policy development, government relations, and economic affairs positions her well to enhance UK-Nigeria trade relations, explore investment opportunities, and promote bilateral economic cooperation.
