British broadcaster Lowri Turner has questioned the United Kingdom’s decision to provide Nigeria with £136 million in annual aid, citing the country’s wealthy population and alleged losses to corruption.
Turner made the remarks during a discussion on foreign aid with Labour MP Danny Beales on The Matt Allwright Show on Channel 5, broadcast on 16 October 2026.
She argued that Nigeria’s wealthy residents and the reported scale of corruption raise questions about the need for British assistance. She also warned that foreign aid could encourage corruption and make recipient countries dependent on donor nations.
“We are currently giving Nigeria £136 million a year, right? They have eight and a half thousand millionaires there, and they lose approximately 15 billion dollars a year in corruption. So we are giving money to a country that already has a great number of very wealthy people in it, and also this money will be fuelling the corruption. So I don’t think we should be giving”
Turner said Nigeria was one example of how aid could have unintended consequences, arguing that assistance might support corrupt practices rather than help countries become self-reliant.
“I just thought, look at one country. That’s one example of it. There’s no doubt that aid funnels corruption in certain countries. It also infantilises them”
She also questioned the approach behind some international aid programmes, saying people in African countries may prefer practical support that helps them develop their own infrastructure and public services.
“I think if you ask some people in African countries, they say, ‘We don’t want white saviour complex, thank you very much. We want actually to be able to build a road and have vaccinations.’”
Her comments have brought attention to the debate over UK foreign aid to Nigeria, including how assistance is used, the risks of corruption and the role of wealthy individuals in supporting national development.
