Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK) Boris Johnson has come under fire in Nigeria following his keynote address at the Imo State Economic Summit 2025.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that Johnson came under fire for what many Nigerians perceived as a dismissal of the country’s security challenges.
Speaking to a high-profile audience that included Nigerian political leaders and international dignitaries, Johnson on Thursday recounted reading warnings about the security situation before his trip but chose to come anyway.
He then asked the audience if they felt safe in the conference hall, to which he received a positive response, leading him to declare, “And I feel perfectly safe.”
He said: “I want you to know that when I decided to come to Owerri, I read some things, and people were saying, ‘There may be some security problems in Nigeria.’ Have you heard that? And I said, ‘Well, I am going to go anyway.’
“And let me ask you: do you feel safe here today in this conference? Yes, we all feel safe. And I feel perfectly safe. Thank you, Governor, for what you are doing,” Johnson said.
Johnson also commended Uzodimma for his push to provide 24-hour electricity in Imo State as part of efforts to drive economic growth.
According to him, artificial intelligence will play a critical role in helping the governor realise that plan, describing AI as “the future.”
“Your focus on electricity is completely right. What is the future? The future is AI. For clean, sustainable electricity—and because of AI—it’s going to be colossal.
“I congratulate you for what you are doing to secure clean and sustainable power for Imo State and for the whole of Nigeria,” he said.
Also, Johnson came under fire after revealing that the UK exports pharmaceuticals and huge quantities of whiskey to Nigeria in exchange for crude oil, gas, and brilliant human resources.
“I’m very proud of what we export to Nigeria. We send you pharmaceuticals, bankers, services of all kinds, and huge quantities of whiskey,” Mr Johnson said at the Imo Economic Summit on Thursday, adding that the UK is grateful to Nigeria for its support.
“And in return, you send us oil, gas, Nollywood movies, brilliant doctors, nurses, tech geniuses. We are very, very grateful,” Johnson said.
Johnson also recalled that Nigeria and Britain share deep historic and cultural ties, strengthened by continuous exchanges of skilled professionals.
“I am very proud of what we export to Nigeria. We send you pharmaceuticals, bankers, services of all kinds, and automotive parts. And you send us so much in return—oil and gas, Nollywood movies, brilliant doctors, nurses, technicians, and tech geniuses from Nigeria. We are very, very grateful.
“We send you former United Kingdom prime ministers, and you send us future United Kingdom prime ministers in the form of Kemi Badenoch,” Johnson added.
The summit was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima, representing President Bola Tinubu, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, businessman Aliko Dangote, Finance Minister Wale Edun, and several state governors.
Johnson’s comments have been generating reactions from Nigerians, particularly as they come after a wave of abductions that occurred across the country.
Johnson’s remarks also come at a time when Nigeria is battling a renewed wave of insecurity that has drawn global attention.
In November, gunmen carried out a string of mass abductions across several states, including the kidnapping of more than 300 students and teachers in Niger State, adding to a surge in school attacks nationwide.
Tensions escalated further after US President Donald Trump issued a strongly worded warning accusing Nigeria of failing to protect vulnerable groups, particularly Christian communities.
Reacting to Johnson’s remarks, popular TV anchor Rufai Oseni questioned whether the prime minister was paid.
He said: “Boris Johnson who was probably paid for a speaking engagement will say anything to make his paymasters feel good
“Can Boris come out to tell us he wasn’t paid for his speaking engagements in Imo?
“Can he drive from Imo to Maiduguri without an escort
“What do you expect Boris to say!
“The same Boris with plenty of corruption under his watch with Covid contracts.”
Below are some other reactions;
