Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has called on the United States to strengthen strategic ties with Nigeria by recognizing the country as an anchor state in Africa, stressing that such collaboration would unlock vast opportunities for mutual growth.
Tuggar made the appeal during a high-level roundtable organized by the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The meeting brought together Vice President Kashim Shettima and senior executives from top American companies to discuss investment prospects in Nigeria’s priority sectors, including energy, agriculture, technology, and finance.
“The United States should revert to working with anchor states in Africa, such as Nigeria,” Tuggar said. “Our population, abundant resources, and continental scale make Nigeria a natural destination for U.S. business partnerships. Such collaboration will reduce costs, create access to a vast talent pool, and integrate millions of informal businesses into the formal economy.”
He emphasized that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, Nigeria is committed to deepening economic diplomacy, reforming the business climate, and ensuring that global partnerships deliver tangible benefits to citizens.
Highlighting Nigeria’s youthful population, reform momentum, and regional leadership, the minister reaffirmed the country’s position as Africa’s premier hub for global investment.
The engagement underscored Nigeria’s growing push to reposition itself as a gateway for international capital flows into Africa and as a critical partner for U.S. businesses seeking sustainable growth on the continent.
