A PORT Glasgow couple have told how they raised a glass to Scotland’s national bard at a Burns Supper for 100 people - in Nigeria.

Civil servant John Miller and wife Jaqueline celebrated Robert Burns at a diplomatic event hosted by officials from the British High Commission and the Department for International Development (DFID), based in the Nigerian capital of Abuja.

The event was also celebrating over £300m of trade deals being signed between the UK and Nigeria at last week’s UK-Africa Investment Summit.

Organiser David Smith smuggled in over 13 kilograms of haggis in his suitcase to help make the traditional Scottish knees-up happen on Burns’ birthday on Saturday.

Guests from Nigeria, America, France, Canada, Finland, Germany and Spain joined the Scottish diplomats to toast Burns at the British Village social club in Abuja.

Haggis was served up along with Nigerian snacks, including Jollof rice.

Nigerian ‘clan elder’ Air Commodore Paul Warwick CBE was a guest of honour at the top table and Foreign Office worker John performed the traditional toast to the laddies, while Jaqueline responded with the toast to the lassies.

John said: “The temperature was 36 °C so wearing a full kilt was a big challenge owing to several pounds of fabric weighing you down in the West African heat.

“The British High Commission in Nigeria has more than ten Scots across its ranks, who are always keen to showcase Scotland’s culture and share a dram.

“The ceilidh dancing ended at 4.30am and I think quite a few guests suffered sore heads the following day.

“Robert Burns was very much an internationalist, so I’m quite sure he would have approved of the UK-Africa Investment Summit helping deliver more investment, jobs and economic growth to benefit people and businesses across Nigeria and the UK.”

Burns bash organiser David said: "Although Burns was worked as an exciseman, I’m sure he’d have approved of us smuggling over some haggis to help spread the word of his work.

“I emptied two Waitrose stores, a Tesco and a Co-op of their haggis supplies to bring it over from London in my suitcase.

“The traditional and vegetarian haggis, alongside shortbread and plentiful whisky, made sure our ceilidh was in full swing - until the inevitable power cut.”