Special to USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, first African-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet
The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, says that bilateral trade between the US and Nigeria has soared to about $13 billion since 2024.
Mills, who disclosed this at a dinner organised by the U.S. Mission in Nigeria to mark the country’s 249th independence anniversary in Abuja. He added that the spiraling trade relations between the two nations have fostered not only economic opportunities for Nigerians but have also created jobs for Americans and others.
“I am very proud that last year our trade with Nigeria soared to nearly $13 billion.“That has fostered economic opportunities for Nigerians and created jobs for Americans and Nigerians. By stimulating trade, we are building a future where both nations are going to thrive as commercial partners,” local media reports quoted Mills as saying.
According to him, the US partnership with Nigeria will continue to evolve and that the partnership is currently being anchored on a commitment to shared prosperity.
He explained that this commitment entailed increasing commerce and trade between the U.S. and Nigeria and increasing opportunities for workers in both countries.
Mills said that the event was to celebrate the US shared values of freedom, democracy and the rule of law and bid farewell to the departing staff of the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Speaking at the event, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador. Yusuf Tuggar, noted that Nigeria and the U.S. had weathered diverse challenges in their respective journeys of nationhood, adding that both countries shared strong bilateral relations.
Tuggar, represented by Dr. Dunoma Ahmed, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, said that the two countries share an impressive diversity within their borders, making them global reference points for innovation, resilience, inclusion, and influence.
He said that while the U.S. stands as one of the world’s largest democracies, Nigeria proudly holds that place on the African continent.
The minister said that these realities influenced the foreign policy direction of President Bola Tinubu, which places strong emphasis on the pillars of democracy, given Nigeria’s unique position in African and global affairs. “We have each navigated complex terrains to build remarkable societies that seek to give voice and opportunity to all citizens,” he added. ref: Apa
