OWERRI, Nigeria – Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has declared Nigeria safe, saying his personal experience in the country contradicts negative security perceptions circulating internationally.
He delivered the remarks on Friday at the 2025 Imo State Economic Summit in Owerri, said he had been cautioned about insecurity before travelling but insisted on visiting to see conditions firsthand. “I read some things, and people said, ‘There may be security problems in Nigeria.’ And I said, ‘Well, I am going to go anyway,’” he told participants.
He said his experience in Imo proved the warnings wrong. “Do you feel safe here today? Yes, we all feel safe. And I feel perfectly safe. Thank you, Governor, for what you are doing,” he said.
Johnson praised Governor Hope Uzodimma’s efforts to improve security and create an enabling environment for investment, noting that stability is a key driver of economic growth.
Highlighting global economic trends, Johnson said emerging technologies—particularly artificial intelligence—would play a critical role in transforming economies. “AI is the future,” he said, urging Nigeria to fully embrace technological adoption.
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