September 14, (THEWILL) – As part of effort to deepen economic ties with Africa and counter China’s influence on the continent, United States President, Joe Biden, has finalised plans to dispatch Wally Adeyemo, the deputy Treasury Secretary, to Nigeria next week.
THEWILL reports that the visit is coming amid efforts by the United States to recover lost ground in the geopolitical contest with China and Russia for Africa.
Nigeria, which is Africa’s largest economy, is key to those efforts. The Biden administration believes Nigeria, a democracy that is rich with natural resources, has the potential to be an economic anchor for the United States on the continent.
While several Biden administration officials including Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, have visited Nigeria, Adeyemo is seen by the Biden’s administration as a unique emissary.
Born in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, Adeyemo emigrated with his family to California when he was 2 years old. The trip will be Adeyemo’s first time going back to Nigeria in decades.
“It’s one of those opportunities to go to a place that means a lot to me personally, but also to go to a place that means a lot to me professionally, just given that Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy with a huge demographic boom.
“It’s just a great chance for me to talk about how we can deepen the economic relationship and the strategic relationship at a moment when Nigeria has a government that’s already taken really important steps in terms of economic reform”, said Adeyemo
While in Lagos, Adeyemo plans to meet with government officials and executives from the technology, entertainment and finance sectors. He also plans to meet with American companies that operate in Nigeria and visit a local project that has received financing from the U.S. government.
He also plans to talk to Nigerian officials about tackling corruption and protecting the financial system from illicit finance risks. He will also encourage Nigerian officials to continue to pursue ways of diversifying the economy away from its reliance on petroleum and embracing renewable energy.
Adeyemo said his message in Nigeria will be that “the United States wants to be your partner, not only to provide development assistance, but to think about how we deepen our investment and trade relationship.”
