Mayor of London leads tech delegation to Lagos to forge new path for global tech partnerships

On July 15, 2025, the vibrant city of Lagos hosted a summit: Bridging Borders: How London and Lagos Can Shape the Future of Global Tech. The summit was a landmark event organised by London & Partners, the business growth agency for London, at the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History.

This exclusive gathering brought together luminaries from the UK and Nigeria’s thriving tech ecosystems, marking a significant step in fostering economic and technological collaboration between two of the world’s most dynamic tech hubs. 

Led by the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, and Howard Dawber OBE, Deputy Mayor of London for Business, the summit was Mayor Khan’s historic trade mission to Africa, the first of its kind. The summit underscored the growing synergy between London, Europe’s tech capital, and Lagos, Africa’s burgeoning innovation powerhouse.

The Bridging Borders event was a centrepiece of Mayor Khan’s ambitious trade mission to Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa, aimed at driving trade worth £50 billion between London and the African continent. 

Delivering a keynote on behalf of the Lagos State government, Olatunbosun Alake, Honourable Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Science and Technology, stressed the importance of the historic visit, expressing enthusiasm for what the partnership holds for both cities.

Lagos, identified as the world’s fastest-growing tech ecosystem, was a natural focal point. As Dawber highlighted in an interview with the press, the mission is not a one-off but the beginning of a sustained partnership. “This is the start of a new chapter,” he said, emphasising plans for regular follow-up visits, online seminars, and reciprocal business exchanges. The delegation, including high-growth London startups like Abound, Clowd9, and Tech1M, sought to learn from Nigeria’s tech boom while exploring opportunities for mutual growth.

Lagos’ meteoric rise as a global innovation hub, as evidenced by its ranking as the top emerging tech hub by Dealroom, has caught the attention of global investors and policymakers. With Africa’s tech ecosystem growing by 40% since 2019, and Nigeria leading the continent with 7.9 billion real-time transactions in 2024, the potential for collaboration is immense.

London, home to 120 African-based companies listed on the London Stock Exchange (compared to just seven on New York’s), is positioning itself as the global gateway for African enterprises, particularly in fintech and sustainability.

Spotlight on collaboration

The summit’s sessions delved into the complexities of cross-border operations, offering practical strategies for navigating challenges and fostering impactful partnerships. Key speakers, including Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Founding Partner of Future Africa, and Dr. Juliet Ehimuan, former Director at Google West Africa and Founder of Beyond Limits, highlighted the entrepreneurial spirit driving Nigeria’s tech sector. Discussions focused on how London’s established tech infrastructure and Nigeria’s innovative, mobile-first solutions could complement each other.

The event features two panel sessions, with venture capital ecosystem players like Satoshi Shinada, General Partner at Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures; Gbite Oduneye, Managing Partner at ODBA; Gbolade Okeowo, Vice President at Kuramo Capital; and Kirstin Wilson, Managing Partner at Innovate Africa Fund, speaking on the theme, Business Without Borders: Realities from Lagos to London.

One of the standout topics was fintech, where Nigeria’s advancements, such as widespread POS systems and mobile banking, outpace many traditional markets. 

Dawber noted, “Some of the advancements in Nigeria, particularly in fintech, are cutting-edge and surpass what we see in the UK.”

Companies like VertoFX, represented by Country Manager Austin Okpagu, showcased how fintechs are building infrastructure for borderless business, addressing challenges like cross-border transactions that often hinder Nigerian startups.

Addressing cross-border challenges

A significant barrier to collaboration discussed at the summit was the difficulty Nigerian businesses face in accessing UK banking services due to stringent regulations. 

Dawber acknowledged that even multimillion-dollar Nigerian startups are often flagged under overly cautious compliance measures, hindering their ability to open accounts in London. To address this, he and the Deputy High Commissioner plan to engage UK regulators to develop technical solutions that assess risk more effectively without blanket restrictions. 

This commitment signals a proactive approach to easing cross-border transactions, a critical step for Nigerian tech firms eyeing international expansion.

The summit also touched on broader challenges, such as the need for harmonised digital standards across Africa to facilitate a smoother collaboration between London and Lagos, enabling startups to scale regionally and globally.

Measurable impacts and future prospects

The delegation’s goals are ambitious yet tangible. Within the next 12 to 24 months, Dawber expects to see concrete business deals signed between London and Nigerian companies, with some already in progress. 

A key target is increased inward investment, with more Nigerian businesses establishing offices in London or listing on the London Stock Exchange. The recent listing of Guarantee Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO) as the first Nigerian banking entity to trade all its shares on the London Stock Exchange underscores this potential.

Longer term, the vision is to build a robust “bridge ecosystem” that fosters sustained collaboration. The Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), launched in 2022, was cited as a model for facilitating real-time cross-border payments in local currencies, reducing Africa’s $5 billion annual loss due to currency inconvertibility. Such innovations could pave the way for seamless financial integration between London and Lagos.

While Lagos was the focal point, the delegation’s itinerary included visits to Accra, Johannesburg, and Cape Town, reflecting a broader commitment to African collaboration. The London x Cape Town Tech Summit, for instance, aims to connect London and South Africa’s tech sectors, driving innovation and investment. However, Dawber noted logistical challenges, such as the lack of direct flights between Lagos and Cape Town, as opportunities for entrepreneurial solutions.

The Bridging Borders summit and Mayor Khan’s trade mission mark a pivotal moment in UK-Africa relations. By leveraging the Nigerian diaspora, tapping into Lagos’s tech dynamism, and addressing systemic barriers, London is positioning itself as a partner of choice for Africa’s tech revolution. 

As Dawber aptly put it, “The drive, enthusiasm, and entrepreneurial spirit in Nigeria’s tech sector are infectious.” With both cities committed to building bridges, economic, cultural, and technological,  the London-Lagos corridor is poised to shape the future of global tech innovation.