US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, says American companies are ready to invest in Nigeria.
Gatekeepers News reports that Blinken disclosed this during his visit to President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Blinken, while briefing the press after he meets with President Tinubu at the State House Abuja, said, “American entrepreneurs and companies are ready to partner and invest in Nigeria, particularly in the tech sector.
“We have tech giants that have teamed up with Nigerian partners to help meet President Bola Tinubu’s one million digital jobs initiative.
“Our tech entrepreneurs are fostering Nigeria’s next start-ups and our venture capital companies are working to finance them.”
He added that American firms are also working to broaden internet access in the West African country.
Blinken said, “So, we want to work in partnership to drive Nigeria’s tech revolution.’’
He noted that “Nigeria offers real clear competitive opportunities for real investors. But at the same time, I think it is no secret that there remain long-term challenges to unlock its full potential.’’
The US Secretary of State maintained that “tackling corruption and making it easier for companies to repatriate capital” is essential for Nigeria to attract foreign investments.
Acknowledging that the impact of some of the reforms like petrol subsidy removal and floating of the exchange rate by the Tinubu administration might be harsh on the people, Blinken said the US will continue to support Nigeria to cushion the effects.
He is the highest-ranking US official from the current administration to visit Nigeria since the January 25, 2023 election that brought President Tinubu into office.
Blinken’s visit to Tinubu is part of his week-long African tour to Nigeria, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, and Angola, focusing on discussions related to regional security, conflict prevention, democracy promotion, and trade.
The visit aims to underscore the Biden administration’s commitment to partnership with Africa, addressing issues like climate, economic investment, and food and health.
