U.S. Seeks Deeper Investment Ties with Nigeria – Presidency

The Nigerian government has revealed that the United States is set to boost its economic involvement in Nigeria, following a strategic meeting between President Bola Tinubu and U.S. officials in Paris.

According to presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu met with Massad Boulos, Senior Advisor for Africa at the U.S. State Department. During the meeting, the U.S. expressed strong interest in increasing investments in Nigeria and the broader African region.

“The U.S. seeks to collaborate closely with President Tinubu to drive infrastructure and energy development, boost trade, and enhance job creation,” said Onanuga.

The talks also addressed regional security concerns, particularly in eastern DRC and across the Sahel.

Onanuga added that the U.S. acknowledged Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa and backed Tinubu’s regional stability initiatives.

Context: U.S. Trade Tariffs

This engagement comes amid the backdrop of new trade measures introduced by President Donald Trump, who imposed a 14% tariff on Nigerian exports under his “Liberation Day” trade reform.

Although Nigeria was spared a steeper 28% tariff—thanks to what Trump termed a “concessionary rate”—concerns remain over the impact, especially on crude oil exports, which are critical to Nigeria’s foreign earnings.

In response, the Nigerian government has formed a subcommittee to evaluate the potential implications of the tariffs on oil revenue and the broader fiscal outlook.