PHOTO NEWS: Nigeria, U.S. launch CIP working groups in Abuja
Senior officials from the United States and Nigeria, alongside private sector leaders from both countries, have launched the inaugural working group meetings of the United States–Nigeria Commercial and Investment Partnership (CIP) in Abuja.
The partnership, established under a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in July 2024 by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Nigeria’s former Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, is designed to strengthen bilateral commercial ties and expand economic opportunities in both nations.
Leading the inaugural dialogue were U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills; Julie LeBlanc, Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Department of Commerce; Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; and Ambassador Nura Rimi, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry.
Ambassador Mills described the initiative as a top priority of his tenure, stating, “The CIP underscores the United States’ strong commitment to further enhancing our bilateral commercial and investment ties, fostering economic growth, and creating opportunities that benefit people across both our great nations.”
The first round of discussions focused on three key sectors: agriculture, the digital economy, and infrastructure. Working groups comprising U.S. and Nigerian private sector stakeholders began by nominating sector leads and identifying non-tariff barriers affecting trade and investment.
The goal of the initiative is to drive job creation, increase private sector participation, and propose actionable policy recommendations to address challenges in the identified sectors.
U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Middle East and Africa, Thomas Bruns, emphasized the importance of the collaboration.
“By strengthening cooperation in areas that drive growth—like infrastructure, agriculture, and the digital economy—we can advance prosperity, create jobs, and build a sustainable economic foundation for the long term,” he said.
