LONDON Mayor Sadiq Khan will this month lead the capital’s first official trade mission to Africa, with planned stops in Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa. The landmark visit aims to strengthen business, culture and diaspora connections between London and the continent’s leading economic hubs, according to City Hall.
The five-day tour will include visits to Lagos, Accra, Johannesburg, and Cape Town, spotlighting London’s ambition to deepen investment ties across Africa’s rapidly growing tech and creative sectors.
The announcement was made during Khan’s visit earlier this week to The Flygerians, a popular Nigerian restaurant in Peckham, South London. There, he rolled up his sleeves and joined founders Jess and Jo Edun in the kitchen, preparing dishes that reflect the capital’s rich African culinary landscape.
‘The African diaspora plays a huge role in making London the greatest city in the world,’ Khan said. He added that the mission aims to ‘bang the drum’ for London as a global business and cultural capital open to partnership.
Jess and Jo welcomed the mayor’s decision, calling it a sign of his ‘commitment to the diaspora’ and an opportunity to amplify African influence in London’s business and cultural life.
The delegation will include London-based businesses supported by the Grow London Global programme, part of the city’s international trade agency London & Partners. The focus will be on sectors like technology, financial services, fashion and green innovation.
‘Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa are home to some of the most exciting emerging markets in the world,’ Khan said. ‘This mission will build on the strong bonds we already share and open doors for London firms to grow.’
Khan noted that Africa’s youthful demographics and expanding economies make it a prime region for building long-term commercial and civic relationships.
Despite the enthusiasm, the trip has drawn criticism from political opponents. Susan Hall, leader of the City Hall Conservatives, accused Khan of neglecting pressing issues at home. She said the mayor seemed ‘more interested in Lagos than John Lewis’, referring to the embattled British department store chain whose flagship store on Oxford Street has become symbolic of wider concerns about London’s high street decline.
The criticism followed Khan’s absence from a London Assembly session focused on the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street, a central shopping avenue. He later defended himself, stating he had already addressed the issue in detail earlier that day and that the Africa mission was vital for the city’s future growth.
Khan’s visit to Africa follows similar trade diplomacy missions to India, Pakistan, and the United States, and reflects London’s ongoing efforts to diversify its international alliances post-Brexit. The mayor is also scheduled to visit Rio de Janeiro later this year in his capacity as chair of the C40 Cities climate network.
Each of the African cities on the itinerary was chosen for its economic significance:
City Hall hopes the visit will result in new investment, aviation routes, and partnerships that benefit both Londoners and African communities.
