The outgoing British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, has expressed confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, describing them as critical to securing Nigeria’s long-term economic stability despite the short-term hardships experienced by citizens.
Montgomery made the remarks during a farewell visit to the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) headquarters, Revenue House, in Abuja, according to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Special Adviser on Media to the NRS Chairman, Dare Adekanmbi.
The British envoy acknowledged that reforms such as exchange rate adjustments and measures to tackle inflation had imposed short-term pain on Nigerians but insisted they were necessary to restore the economy’s vitality.
Reflecting on his three-year diplomatic assignment, Montgomery said he had witnessed significant positive developments in Nigeria’s economic management.
He praised the contributions of key members of the government’s economic management team, including Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Yemi Cardoso, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, NRS Chairman Dr. Zacch Adedeji, and Minister of Finance Taiwo Oyedele, for advancing tax reforms, fiscal management and broader economic reforms.
According to him, the reforms have laid the foundation for a stronger Nigerian economy, while efforts to improve public finance management, attract investment, strengthen the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and enhance the country’s credit ratings would yield long-term benefits.
Montgomery said Nigeria’s next challenge should be to raise its economic growth rate from about four per cent to seven per cent, noting that achieving higher growth would significantly improve the welfare of ordinary Nigerians.
The outgoing envoy also described the Nigeria Revenue Service as “one of our best partners,” commending its collaboration with His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in the United Kingdom on peer reviews and institutional reforms.
He lauded Adedeji and his team for combining technical expertise with political dexterity in implementing difficult but necessary reforms.
Responding, the Chairman of the NRS, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, thanked Montgomery for his support throughout his tenure, describing his departure as a loss to Nigeria.
Adedeji said the British diplomat provided both personal and technical support for the agency’s reform programme, particularly during the early stages when there were concerns about implementation.
He noted that the envoy’s engagements with the NRS had contributed significantly to shaping the agency’s reforms and expressed appreciation for Montgomery’s emphasis on strategic partnerships over development aid.
Adedeji expressed confidence that the strong collaboration between the NRS and the United Kingdom would continue under Montgomery’s successor, adding that the positive outcomes of the ongoing reforms were already becoming evident.
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