Tinubu Spends $9 Million on Trump-Linked Lobbyists as U.S. Pressure Mounts on Nigeria
President Bola Tinubu’s administration has committed $9 million to a high-powered Republican lobbying firm in Washington, marking one of its most aggressive foreign influence campaigns yet, PulseNets learnt.
The move is widely viewed as an urgent attempt by Abuja to calm escalating tensions with the United States, particularly under President Donald Trump, whose administration has recently taken a series of punitive actions against Nigeria over insecurity and the killing of Christians in the country’s northern region.
PulseNets obtained details showing that Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, acting through a Kaduna-based law firm, Aster Legal, facilitated the engagement of DCI Group, a Washington lobbying powerhouse with strong ties to President Trump’s political network.
According to documents reported by The Africa Report on Tuesday, the lobbying contract is aimed at persuading U.S. authorities that Nigeria is taking concrete steps to combat jihadist groups and protect Christian communities targeted by extremist violence.
To demonstrate seriousness, the Tinubu administration has already released $4.5 million as an initial retainer. PulseNets learnt that the payment was made on December 12, 2025, covering the first six months of DCI Group’s engagement. A second tranche of equal value is scheduled for July 2026, bringing the total deal to one of the most expensive lobbying contracts ever signed by an African government.
U.S. Justice Department filings cited in the report state that DCI Group was hired to “support the Nigerian government in clearly communicating its actions to safeguard Christian populations and sustain U.S. backing in counterterrorism efforts across West Africa.”
The agreement, valued at $750,000 per month, was jointly signed by Aster Legal’s Managing Director, Oyetunji Olalekan Teslim, and DCI Group’s Managing Partner, Justin Peterson, a known Trump ally who previously served on Puerto Rico’s fiscal management board during Trump’s first term.
PulseNets reported that the multimillion-dollar lobbying push came just weeks after President Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern”, citing what he described as persistent and unrestrained attacks on Christians.
Barely four days after the contract was finalised, Washington announced a partial travel ban on Nigerians, suspending the issuance of tourist, business, and student visas. U.S. authorities blamed widespread visa overstays and Nigeria’s lack of a dependable security vetting framework.
Tensions escalated further on December 25, 2025, when President Trump publicly confirmed that U.S. forces had conducted a military strike in Sokoto State, targeting suspected insurgent hideouts. He later warned that additional airstrikes would follow if the killings continued.
However, PulseNets learnt that DCI Group is not the only channel Nigeria is deploying to regain Washington’s confidence. U.S. attorney and former congressional foreign policy adviser Johanna Blanc also disclosed a $5,000 payment for drafting a letter addressed to Chris Smith, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, ahead of a critical hearing on Nigeria’s security crisis.
Justice Department records listed Ms Blanc as operating under Nigeria’s finance ministry, though she later clarified that she acted on behalf of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In the letter, Mr Akpabio extended a diplomatic invitation to U.S. lawmakers, writing:
“Nigeria would be pleased to welcome you to Abuja at a mutually agreeable time to deepen these discussions and engage with key actors across government, civil society, and faith-based communities.”
“Such a visit will reinforce bilateral cooperation and offer direct insight into our ongoing security reforms and interfaith peace-building initiatives.”
Reacting to the scale of the lobbying expenditure, former Pentagon official Chidi Blyden, who served under the Biden administration, said the deal reflected Abuja’s urgency in repairing relations with President Trump.
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“With active counterterrorism operations ongoing in northern Nigeria, sustained communication across multiple diplomatic and security channels is critical,” Mr Blyden said.
“This clearly signals that President Tinubu’s government is eager to reset relations with the Trump administration and is leveraging private-sector diplomacy to achieve that.”
PulseNets reported that this is not the first time President Tinubu has turned to U.S. lobbyists to manage reputational challenges. Last year, Peoples Gazette revealed that his administration spent $2.7 million engaging lobbyists in Washington to address longstanding controversies surrounding his past.
