I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 26 June in response to Question 11395.

I refer the Hon Member to the response provided on 26 June to Question 10761.

I refer the Hon Member to the response provided on 26 June to Question 10761.

The UK Government is concerned by reports of discrimination against LGBT+ people in Nigeria and laws that criminalise homosexuality. The UK stands for the human rights of all people. No one should face violence, persecution, or exclusion because of who they are, who they love, or how they express themselves. We regularly raise human rights issues with the Government of Nigeria, including through our High Commission in Abuja and in multilateral fora. The UK-Nigeria Strategic Partnership underlines mutual commitments to human rights, and we remain committed to ongoing dialogue with Nigeria on these issues.

The Department has not made any assessment of the consistency between parental orders arising from commercial surrogacy arrangements in Nigeria and the prohibition of adoptions from Nigeria.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has published advice for those considering surrogacy overseas, which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/surrogacy-overseas/surrogacy-overseas

This clearly sets out the possible risks and the processes for returning to the United Kingdom with a child born through an international surrogacy arrangement.

The Department for Education has responsibility for adoption policy, including prohibition of adoption from Nigeria.

I refer the Hon Member to the statement I made to the House on 27 November 2025 (HCWS1105), where I addressed the security challenges facing Nigeria due to the activities of terrorist groups and criminal bandits, and set out how the UK is supporting the Nigerian authorities to respond. We continue to work closely with the Government of Nigeria to tackle insecurity, including through our ongoing Security and Defence Partnership.

Since my statement to the House on 27 November 2025 (HWCS1105), we have continued to raise the importance of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) with the Nigerian authorities on a regular basis, as well as the security situation for women and girls at risk of violence and abduction.

The Special Envoy for FoRB, David Smith MP, visited Nigeria in May, where he met with Nigerian Government figures including the National Security Advisor and Minister of Information to discuss promoting interreligious dialogue and tackling the causes of insecurity.

In April, the Minister of State for International Development and Africa, Baroness Chapman, attended the opening of the Nigeria Peace Summit, bringing together senior Muslim and Christian leaders to support Nigerian-led approaches to reducing intercommunal violence.

Since my statement to the House on 27 November 2025 (HWCS1105), we have continued to raise the importance of Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) with the Nigerian authorities on a regular basis, as well as the security situation for women and girls at risk of violence and abduction.

The Special Envoy for FoRB, David Smith MP, visited Nigeria in May, where he met with Nigerian Government figures including the National Security Advisor and Minister of Information to discuss promoting interreligious dialogue and tackling the causes of insecurity.

In April, the Minister of State for International Development and Africa, Baroness Chapman, attended the opening of the Nigeria Peace Summit, bringing together senior Muslim and Christian leaders to support Nigerian-led approaches to reducing intercommunal violence.

The UK believes that all people have the right to make their own informed decisions about if, whether, when and how to have children. As part of a range of assisted conception options, surrogacy may be an option, but it requires laws and regulations to protect the health, wellbeing and rights of the individuals involved. International commercial surrogacy arrangements can involve risks in some circumstances, especially where there are high rates of maternal mortality, such as in Nigeria, or weak regulatory frameworks. It should be noted that, through the UK's health programming, including the Lafiya programme, we are working with the Government of Nigeria to improve maternal and reproductive health care.

We continue to support the Nigerian authorities in tackling violence against Christians, and other communities affected by violence in Nigeria, as set out in my Written Ministerial Statement on 27 November 2025 (HLWS1104), and the response provided on 5 June to Question HC5325, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:

During his visit to Nigeria in May 2026, the UK's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), David Smith MP, met senior Nigerian government representatives, including the National Security Adviser, Governor of Plateau State and Minister for Information. He engaged a broad cross-section of senior Muslim and Christian religious leaders including the Sultan of Sokoto and President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, and Nigerian-led civil society and peacebuilding partners.

Discussions highlighted the importance of interfaith engagement in addressing violence affecting individuals of all religions or beliefs, alongside wider drivers including land, resource and ethnic tensions. The Special Envoy also raised concerns about the misuse of blasphemy and Sharia laws, including the cases of Yahiya Sharif Aminu and Deborah Samuel, and observed examples of peaceful inter-religious coexistence. The UK will continue working with the Nigerian government and international partners to protect FoRB for individuals of all faiths or beliefs in Nigeria.

I refer the Noble Lord to the statement I made to the House on 27 November 2025 (HLWS1104), where I addressed the security challenges facing Nigeria due to the activities of terrorist groups and criminal bandits, and set out how the UK is supporting the Nigerian authorities to respond. We continue to work closely with the Government of Nigeria to tackle insecurity, including through our ongoing Security and Defence Partnership. During my visit to Nigeria this month, I travelled to Kaduna State in Northwest Nigeria where I saw first-hand how UK support is strengthening community led approaches to conflict prevention.

The Department for Transport (DfT) works with international partners to support and strengthen aviation security standards at last points of departure to the UK. This includes technical cooperation and, where necessary, in‑country activity to provide assurance and support effective delivery at airports. DfT has also acted to build and enhance international maritime security capacity by working collaboratively with partner states to improve compliance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, thereby reducing risk to the UK’s supply chains, energy routes, and the UK‑registered (REG) fleet.

Where possible, visits were combined with other engagements to minimise costs and reduce the need for multiple journeys. Where this was not possible, the officials concerned had no other concurrent business in Nigeria that could reasonably be combined.

All visits were approved by a Deputy Director (Senior Civil Servant) in DfT’s Transport Security Division in line with departmental policy.

• March 2025 – Three women from the Nigerian Designated Authority were invited to an event held in Tanzania as guest speakers. The flights are for their return back to Nigeria. This was paid for from the Integrated Security Fund (ISF) budget. The ISF is a cross-government Fund dedicated to tackling the highest priority threats to UK national security, both at home and overseas. Budget was allocated to the Port Security Strategic Training and Programme with the objective of reducing the risk of terrorism to British interests and nationals through raising port security standards globally. The total cost of their visit to Tanzania was £3414.29.
• May 2025 – This was for the delivery of aviation security capability development training by 2 external providers. Total cost: £6272.26.
• June 2025 – This was for the delivery of aviation security capability development training by 2 external providers in Lagos. Total cost: £5322.26.
• June 2025 – This was for the delivery of aviation security capability development training by 2 external providers in Abuja. Total cost: £4247.86.
• July 2025 – Two officials (all Senior Executive Officers) travelled to Nigeria to conduct an airport assessment. Total cost: £3787.04.
• September 2025 (early) – Two officials (all Senior Executive Officers) travelled to Nigeria to deliver in‑person aviation security training. Total cost: £7,313.84.
• September 2025 (late) – This visit was an inward visit to the UK undertaken as part of aviation security capability development activity. The training and capability development activities were funded through the Integrated Security Fund (ISF), which is a cross-Government Fund. Total cost: £1,856.50.

As part of the planning process, consideration was given to whether the engagement could be conducted remotely or combined with other official travel. While some preparatory and follow up activity was undertaken virtually, aspects of the engagement required on site delivery and therefore could not be fully conducted remotely.

We continue to raise with Shell, including at Ministerial level, the importance of action to address the risks of pollution from oil production in the Niger Delta, in line with international standards. The regulation of companies within Nigeria and the governance framework for the oil and gas sectors are, however, matters for the Government of Nigeria. The UK therefore encourages a coordinated effort between the Nigerian Government, oil and gas companies, and local communities to bring an end to all forms of oil contamination in Nigeria.

The Gulf of Guinea remains an important global energy-producing region, and the UK is committed to supporting Nigeria to realise its energy transition ambitions.

We continue to raise with Shell, including at Ministerial level, the importance of action to address the risks of pollution from oil production in the Niger Delta, in line with international standards. The regulation of companies within Nigeria and the governance framework for the oil and gas sectors are, however, matters for the Government of Nigeria. The UK therefore encourages a coordinated effort between the Nigerian Government, oil and gas companies, and local communities to bring an end to all forms of oil contamination in Nigeria.

The Gulf of Guinea remains an important global energy-producing region, and the UK is committed to supporting Nigeria to realise its energy transition ambitions.