Penny Mordaunt said during a visit to the West African country last week that UK aid funding would support the livelihoods of farmers in some of the poorest rural areas.

The funding will expand the Propcom Mai-Karfi programme, with an additional £24m made available over three years.

Extending the programme into conflict-affected states in the north-east, the latest funds will reinforce economic recovery, increase the resilience of the rural poor to climate change, and improve their access to rural and agricultural markets.

Since 2012 the programme has generated more than £27.3m of additional income for its 676,316 beneficiaries, according to the UK Department for International Development.

Mordaunt said: “We are working to help Nigeria invest in its people and create more jobs, giving it a future beyond aid.”

The UK is also helping improve tax collection in northern Nigeria and DfID said that, as a result, the north-western state of Kaduna now has more money to spend on public services, including hospitals and schools.

Mordaunt provided the final ever UK aid package of medical supplies to one of the region’s health centres. The state will now take over the running of the health clinic, paid for with the taxes generated in Kaduna, DfID said.

Mordaunt added: “British expertise in tax collection is ensuring Nigeria can build better schools and health centres.”