He promised that the UK’s new immigration policy will put “people before passports” as he used his first set-piece speech of 2020 to extol the benefits of trade with post-Brexit Britain to a major gathering of African leaders.

The prime minister said the UK was the “ultimate one-stop shop” for trade, education and tech.

“Look around the world today and you will swiftly see that the UK is not only the obvious partner of choice, we’re also very much the partner of today, of tomorrow and decades to come,” he said in a speech focusing more on general entreaties than specific policy ideas.

Johnson said people from African countries could benefit from the still-to-be detailed changes to the immigration system after Brexit, which will end the free movement of people to and from EU nations.

“You’ll be pleased to hear that one thing is changing – our immigration system,” Johnson said. “Change is coming, and our system is becoming fairer and more equal between all our global friends and partners, treating people the same wherever they come from.

“By putting people before passports we were will able to attract the best talent from around the world, wherever they may be,” he said.

“But in the words of an old Akan proverb that I picked up in Ghana, all fingers are not the same. There is wisdom in these Akan proverb. All fingers are not the same and all countries are not the same and the UK boasts … in expertise that cannot be matched by any other nation and that is why we are one of the biggest partners of the countries across Africa. Look at the billions of pounds worth in the deals that are being finalised just here today that we are announcing,”Mr Johnson said.

President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi of Egypt, President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana were among the 15 African leaders at the event.