In a bid to deepen economic partnerships and promote growth across Africa, the United Kingdom has announced major reforms to its Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS).
The flagship initiative is designed to make UK markets more accessible to developing nations, including Nigeria.
The UK has announced new rules to simplify trade and boost imports from developing countries in Africa, helping build resilient economies and boosting global growth.
More trade, more investment – the best path to prosperity for all.#GoFarGoTogether pic.twitter.com/VIeFocp5QB
— UK in Sierra Leone 🇬🇧🇸🇱 (@UKinSierraLeone) July 11, 2025
Announced as part of the wider Trade for Development strategy, the package includes simplified rules of origin. Under the new guidelines, African countries will be able to source raw materials and components from within the continent, process or assemble them locally, and still export the finished products to the UK free of tariffs.
UK officials stated that the revised scheme will not only deepen trade relations with the UK but also promote intra-African commerce, reinforcing the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which represents a market valued at $3.4 trillion.
UK Minister for Development, Jenny Chapman, highlighted the country’s evolving trade priorities.
“The world is changing. Countries in the Global South are seeking a new kind of partnership with the UK—as trading partners and investors, not merely aid recipients,” she said.
“These reforms will make it easier for developing countries to engage with UK markets, benefiting their economies as well as UK businesses and consumers.”
Promoting Sustainable Growth
The changes are part of the UK’s broader strategy to support sustainable global growth through forward-looking partnerships.
Douglas Alexander, the UK’s Minister for Trade Policy, underscored the connection between trade and development:
“No country has ever emerged from poverty without trading with its neighbours,” he said.
“Over the past decades, trade has played a vital role in lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty across the world.”
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Beyond tariff reforms, the UK will also offer technical assistance to help African exporters meet British standards and navigate customs procedures.
Plans are also underway to strengthen trade in services such as digital, legal, and financial sectors through enhanced agreements with partner nations.
In 2023, UK trade preferences enabled over ÂŁ3.2 billion worth of African goods to be imported under favourable terms.
The DCTS, introduced after Brexit, currently covers 65 countries and provides reduced or zero tariffs on thousands of products.
