Liz Truss resumes on Tuesday, taking over from Boris Johnson as UK prime minister, there are indications that she may take tough measures against Nigeria in the face of increasing socio-economic hardships in the country.
According to a forecast on Devex, a social enterprise and media platform for the global development community, with the UK facing “a bleak period economically”, the country may be forced to cut aid to developing countries, including Nigeria, a policy that will considerably worsen the rising cost-of-living crisis that will hurt millions of people.
Ms Truss, who was the immediate past Trade Secretary is known for her tough measures in trade, has been replaced by James Cleverly, a true-blue Conservative Party member.
Cleverly is said to be a close ally of the new prime minister who ran much of the day-to-day activities for the then Trade Secretary who was busy with the war in Ukraine.
There are reports that Cleverly has already proposed a £4.6 billion reduction from the aid budget and with the Ukraine invasion draging on, there seem to be no hope in sight for developing countries like Nigeria.
Cleverly has consistently defended the aid cuts and said in February 2021 that he won’t engage the development sector on how to limit the harm they bring. But one observer says his background — his mother emigrated from Sierra Leone — gives him a “stronger grounding and interest in poverty and development.”