USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first Africa-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet
Lai Mohammed, Nigeria’s former Minister of Information and Culture during the presidency of retired General Mohammadu Buhari, has been appointed Managing Partner (Nigeria operations) of the U.S-headquartered, international lobbying firm, Ballard Partners.
It is opening its first office in Africa in Abuja and a satellite office in Lagos.Ballard Partners President and Founder Brian Ballard noted in statement that: “Opening our first African office in Nigeria expands our firm’s international footprint to three continents and builds upon the important work we have done on behalf of African nations and companies in Africa and the U.S. We are honoured to have former Minister Lai Mohammed join the firm as our Managing Partner in Nigeria. He has a long record of public service and is one of the most respected officials in the country. His outstanding reputation and exceptional experience will be invaluable to our firm’s clients.”
He added that “For the last eight years as Minister of Information and Culture between 2015 and 2023 Minister Mohammed has served as the spokesperson, reputation manager and information management strategist-in-chief of Africa’s most populous country and biggest economy. He is the first two-term Minister of Information and Culture in the history of Nigeria. In 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari conferred Mohammed with one of the nation’s highest honors, Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) for service to the country. Since the advent of Nigeria’s fourth republic in 1999, Mohammed played key roles in the political life of his country as Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Executive Governor of Lagos….”
Mohammed said “I am very pleased to” to join Ballard Partners. “The opportunities in Nigeria are substantial and I look forward to helping the firm’s clients achieve their objectives.” Mohammed was embroiled in several controversies especially during his ministerial roles.
USAfrica: Peter Obi, Lai Muhammad’s Treason Card and Nigeria’s Democracy. By Chido Nwangwu
