He described Africa as the future, saying he had witnessed the continent’s “boundless energy and ambition” during his previous assignments.

“The UK is committed to being a partner that supports African and British growth by listening to African priorities and bringing the very best the UK has to offer.

“I look forward to engaging across the continent, with the UK business community, and with the UK Government team, to realise as many mutual opportunities as possible.”

Long succeeds John Humphrey, who had served as the UK Trade Commissioner for Africa since June 2022.

The British Deputy High Commission said Long inherited strong UK momentum in Africa and would bring extensive trade expertise to the role, as well as the focus and energy required to deepen partnerships and unlock further opportunities for mutual benefit.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the HMTC leads the UK’s overseas efforts to promote trade, investment, export opportunities and trade policy objectives.

The Commissioner works closely with the wider diplomatic network and other government officials to coordinate Britain’s overseas efforts to promote UK trade and prosperity.

The office also has responsibility for the Department for Business and Trade’s work in Africa, including growing the overall trade and investment relationship, improving market access for British companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, and developing trade policy.

Long joined the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in 2002 and has held previous postings in the Middle East and North Africa.

He was educated at Clare College, Cambridge University, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.

NAN

The current ₦70,000 national minimum wage was signed into law in July 2024 following negotiations between the Federal Government, organised labour and the private sector. Labour has since maintained that the rapid increase in the cost of living has made another review necessary.

As the fresh negotiations gather momentum, workers are awaiting a formal framework and timeline for the talks, while government, labour and employers are expected to negotiate a wage level that reflects current economic realities and remains sustainable for the Nigerian economy.

“Our objective is to ensure that more Nigerian-owned vessels operate on Nigerian waters, more Nigerian businesses participate in our maritime economy, and more Nigerians benefit from the wealth our waters generate. Providing Nigerian shipowners with the financial capacity to acquire vessels is a critical step towards reducing foreign dominance in our maritime space.”

Oyetola said he had directed the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency to accelerate the process of disbursing the fund to qualified applicants.

He stated, “I have, therefore, directed the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to work closely with the 12 approved banks, known as Primary Lending Institutions (PLIs), to accelerate the disbursement of the fund to qualified applicants.

“NIMASA has so far received 92 applications. Of these, 20 have been forwarded to the Primary Lending Institutions, while one has so far been reviewed and forwarded for approval. To further speed up access, we have expanded the number of approved banks from five to 12 and launched the CVFF Application Portal to make the process more transparent, structured and accessible.”

The minister added that the expected impact of the fund extended beyond vessel acquisition, as increased indigenous ownership could stimulate several areas of the maritime economy.

He said, “The disbursement of the CVFF could help create a stronger indigenous fleet, which will in turn stimulate activity in shipyards, marine engineering, vessel maintenance, maritime logistics and other supporting industries. It could also create more than 30,000 direct and indirect jobs, while strengthening Nigeria’s ship-owning and shipbuilding ecosystem.

“This initiative is part of the Tinubu Administration’s commitment to unlocking the full potential of Nigeria’s Blue Economy, strengthening indigenous capacity and ensuring that Nigerians take a greater share of the opportunities in our maritime sector.” He also highlighted the government’s efforts to develop the human resources needed to support the maritime industry.

“Financing vessels is only one part of building a stronger indigenous maritime industry. We are equally investing in the people who will power this industry. So far, 222 seafarers have received free professional training, 333 cadets have completed their academic training and obtained degrees, while 135 cadets under the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) have obtained their Certificates of Competency. In addition, 7,059 Nigerian seafarers have been placed onboard vessels to gain valuable sea-time experience.”

“We are determined to ensure that Nigerians own, operate and benefit from the economic activities taking place in Nigeria’s maritime space. We are building the capacity to make that happen — through vessel financing, skills development, indigenous enterprise and strategic investment in our maritime sector. The work continues”, the minister concluded.

The CVFF was established under the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act of 2003 to support Nigerian shipping companies in acquiring vessels and developing indigenous capacity. Its disbursement has, however, been delayed for more than two decades.

The Federal Government launched the CVFF application portal in January 2026 and announced that successful applicants could access up to $25m in financing. NIMASA subsequently began receiving applications from interested operators.

NIMASA had disclosed in April that it received more than 60 applications within four months of opening the portal, with the agency promising that the disbursement process would be transparent and strictly monitored.

The latest figure provided by Oyetola represents an increase in applications to 92, although only one application has so far been reviewed and forwarded for approval, according to the minister.