UK agree deal to make am easier for migrants to return to Nigeria - oda tins wey happun for Tinubu state visit

Di UK govment don agree deal wit Nigeria to make am easier to remove pipo wit no right to dey for di United Kingdom.

For di first time, di Nigerian govment go recognise UK letters - wey be identification document issued to individuals witout valid passport - so pipo no go need wait for emergency travel documents to dey issued bifor dem fit return dem to dia kontri.

Di agreement bin happun during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu state visit to di UK.

One Downing Street tok-tok pesin say di two leaders "bin commit to deepening dia long-term partnership on trade, infrastructure and sustainable growth".

Dem also agree to work more closely togeda on defence and security in response to transnational crime and terrorism, di tok-tok pesin tok.

Di Home Office say di immigration deal go make am easier to return pipo wey overstay dia visas, foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers.

E say annual returns to Nigeria don nearly double to 1,150.

Di two kontris don also agree to launch joint operations and share information to crack down on criminal gangs abusing visa routes.

One new standardised document-checking system go dey introduced to verify di authenticity of applications.

Di Home Office say dem go follow series of high-profile cases involving fake job sponsorships, sham marriages and forged financial or employment records.

Meanwhile, Nigeria go review dia laws to ensure say immigration offenders chop toughest possible sentences.

Border Security and Asylum Minister Alex Norris say: "Nigeria na key partner for our work to tackle illegal migration, as di UK largest African visa market and home to thousands of Nigerians wey don build dia lives here."

Nigeria seal £746m ports deal wit UK

Earlier, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer bin meet Nigerian President Bola Tinubu for Downing Street, as UK and Nigeria agree on record-breaking steel deal.

Under di agreement, British Steel go supply 120,000 tonnes of steel to refurbish two major ports for Lagos, and di contract worth £70m.

Sir Keir hail di president state visit - di first by leader of di west African kontri in 37 years - as "historic".

On Wednesday, di King bin host spectacular state banquet for Windsor Castle for di president and first lady, and praise di strength of di ties between di two nations.

Di UK don already agree to £746m deal wit Nigeria to fund di redevelopment of di Lagos Port Complex and di TinCan Island Port Complex.

UK Export Finance (UKEF), di UK government export credit agency, don provide guarantee to di banks loaning di funds under di condition say at least 20% of di contracts go dey sourced from di UK.

At least £236m of supplier contracts go dey directed to British firms, including £70m for British steel - di company largest eva export backed by UKEF.

E dey come as di UK set out a new strategy to boost di domestic steel industry.

Trade Secretary Peter Kyle say di deal go "reinforce British Steel world-class expertise while supporting jobs and growth for Scunthorpe".

Tinubu visit na also di first to di UK by Muslim leader during Ramadan in almost 100 years.

Dem make special adaptations to di state banquet, and set aside prayer room for Windsor Castle, while di usual lunch wey King Charles dey host no take place becos Tinubu dey fast.

On Thursday, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, wey be Christian, also visit Lambeth Palace, di London home of di archbishop of Canterbury.

Di visit dey come for time of tension within Nigeria, wit series of suspected suicide bombings dis week for di north-eastern state of Borno, wia at least 23 pipo kpai and 108 injure for di attacks by Boko Haram.

Nigerian jollof rice, colonial era, military dictatorship and oda tins King Charles and President Tinubu tok for Windsor Castle

Meanwhile, King Charles III bin host President Bola Tinubu for Windsor Castle on Wednesday, 18 March, wia dem both give speeches.

Di King say im and im wife dey grateful say President Tinubu and im wife First Lady Oluremi Tinubu travel down to di United Kingdom during Ramadan.

King Charles say di pipo of di United Kingdom dey blessed say so many pipo of Nigerian heritage don choose Britain as dia home.

On im part President Tinubu say na profound honour to stand bifor King Charles to represent di pipo of Nigeria "as we reaffirm di enduring bonds of friendship, history, and shared purpose wey don unite our two nations for several centuries".

Takeaways from King Charles speech

Nigeria don arrive

King Charles say during im most recent visit to Nigeria for 2018, evidence dey say Nigeria dey transform imsef at remarkable pace.

E say apart from say Nigeria don change, di kontri don arrive.

"Yours na nation of ova two hundred and thirty million pipo, half of dem dey under eighteen, wit di energy, ingenuity, ambition and resolve to address di great challenges of our age.

According to King Charles, 'Nigeria na economic powerhouse, a cultural force and influential diplomatic voice from continent wey dey play increasingly important role for di world."

Nigerian jollof rice

Di King say last week im bin meet a group of Nigerians for 'Jollof and Tea' Party for St. James's Palace.

"I bin dey firmly assured say di Jollof na only di best: Nigerian, of course… or perhaps Ghanaian or Senegalese. Diplomatically I no fit remember!"

Afrobeats and Nollywood

King Charles say from from Afrobeats and Nollywood to stars wey dey compete for Premier League, Britain culture dey "profoundly enriched by Nigeria".

"Whether dem be Nigerians wey don choose Britain as dia adopted place to invest, trade or study, or Britons wey cherish dia personal connection to Nigeria, dem all represent living bridge of ova half a million pipo wey connect our nations, Mr President, and help make our cultures richer, our shared security stronger and our economies more prosperous."

Colonial era

Di King also make reference to colonial era wen e say di many dynamic connections between Nigeria and Britain get deep roots and "yet I no fit pretend say dose roots dey witout shadow".

"E get chapters for our shared history wey I know say don leave some painful marks. I no seek to offer words wey go dissolve di past, becos no words fit. But I believe, as I know you believe, Mr President, say history no be merely record of wetin pesin do us - na lesson in how we go forward togeda to continue building a future wey dey rooted in hope and growth for all, and worthy of dose wey bear di pains of di past.

Takeaways from Tinubu speech

Complex terrorism challenges

President Tinubu say di West African region dey face complex terrorism challenges wit roots for di Sahel.

E say Nigeria carry big responsibility to help safeguard regional stability.

"In confronting dis threats, partnership wit di United Kingdom remain essential and I look forward to my meeting wit Prime Minister Keir Starmer tomorrow."

E say despite dis challenges, Nigeria approach di future wit hope and confidence.

"We be nation of diverse and vibrant pipo, of young pipo dreaming big, of entrepreneurs with global outlook, and of hopeful pipo wey dey determined to realise dia full potential.

"Your Majesty, I dey confident say di friendship between Nigeria and di United Kingdom go continue to grow," Tinubu tok.

Military dictatorship

President Tinubu express "Nigeria deep gratitude to dis great nation for di refuge and support e extend during di dark years of military dictatorship.

E say like many Nigerians wey bin dey involved for di pro-democracy struggle, e bin find safety for di United Kingdom.

"I remember say my residence bin dey placed under Metropolitan Police surveillance for protection following threats from agents of di junta. Dat solidarity remain etched for our collective memory, and e dey deeply humbling for me to stand bifor Your Majesty today as di President of a democratic Nigeria."