NEWS
US-Nigeria Mining Deal Linked to Alleged Tinubu-Trump Meeting Push as U.S. Lobbying Firm, Von-Batten-Montague-York Makes Fresh Claim
President Bola Tinubu’s administration allegedly offered a mining cooperation deal to the United States as part of efforts to secure a meeting between Tinubu and US President Donald Trump, according to US-based political advisory and lobbying firm, Von-Batten-Montague-York.
The claim emerged following the signing of a new agreement between Nigeria and the United States aimed at deepening American investment and cooperation in Nigeria’s mining sector on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
The agreement was signed at the Nigeria Mission House by Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, and US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.
The framework is expected to strengthen bilateral cooperation in key areas of Nigeria’s mineral sector, including geological data and exploration, mineral development and processing, infrastructure development, as well as technical capacity.
However, the signing has attracted political attention following allegations by Von-Batten-Montague-York that the mining agreement was among proposals allegedly put forward by the Tinubu administration in an effort to secure a meeting between the Nigerian President and Trump.
Reacting to the development in a post on X, the firm described the agreement as an important starting point for cooperation between Nigeria and the United States over critical minerals, while alleging that the arrangement had initially been connected to efforts to facilitate a meeting between the two presidents.
“The signing of the U.S.-Nigeria mining MOU is the first step of cooperation between the United States and Nigeria that serves America’s interests in having access to critical metals and minerals while improving the Nigerian mining industry,” the firm said.
The firm further alleged that the agreement had initially been announced by the Nigerian government with plans for it to be signed during the UN General Assembly in the presence of President Tinubu.
“This MOU was first announced by the Nigerian government last week and was meant to be signed at the UN with President Bola Tinubu @OfficialABAT. It was one of the proposals that Nigerian President Bola Tinubu had allegedly offered in exchange for a meeting with President @realDonaldTrump.”
According to the lobbying firm, it subsequently contacted officials within the Trump administration after details of the proposed arrangement became public.
“We immediately reached out to the #Trump Administration, which resulted in the article being immediately taken down, the signing at the UN being canceled, and President Tinubu staying in France,” it alleged.
The firm also claimed that the outcome did not result in a meeting between Tinubu and Trump.
“President Trump instead signed other agreements at the UN. The United States got the mines; President Tinubu got no meeting.”
The allegations have added another layer to discussions surrounding Nigeria’s participation in the 81st UN General Assembly, particularly against the backdrop of earlier claims by the same firm regarding efforts to arrange a meeting between Tinubu and Trump.
The firm had previously made claims concerning Tinubu’s planned participation in the UN General Assembly and the circumstances surrounding an anticipated meeting with the US president.
The Presidency, however, announced that Vice-President Kashim Shettima would represent President Tinubu at the 81st UN General Assembly in New York.
Shettima was expected to lead Nigeria’s delegation and participate in high-level engagements, bilateral discussions and other diplomatic activities during the international gathering.
Despite Tinubu’s absence from the UN General Assembly, the Nigeria-US mining agreement was eventually signed in New York, underscoring Washington and Abuja’s continuing interest in strengthening cooperation around Nigeria’s vast mineral resources.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Alake described the framework as an important development in efforts to unlock greater value from Nigeria’s mining sector. The minister put the estimated value of Nigeria’s mineral resources at about $700 billion.
“Nigeria cannot remain a source of raw materials while others capture most of the value. We want more local processing, quality jobs, stronger skills and greater opportunities for Nigerian businesses,” Alake said.
The minister further stated that the Federal Government intended to move beyond broad agreements by identifying specific investment opportunities and projects capable of generating tangible economic benefits.
“We will identify viable projects and build partnerships that create value for Nigerians and our US partners,” the minister said.
The agreement covers several stages of the mineral value chain, from geological exploration and data gathering to mineral development, processing, infrastructure and technical capacity building.
The focus on processing and value addition is particularly significant as Nigeria seeks to reduce dependence on the export of unprocessed natural resources and attract investments that can create jobs, strengthen local expertise and expand industrial activity.
US officials have also continued to describe Nigeria as an important regional partner, with Washington expressing interest in strengthening economic and strategic cooperation with Abuja.
Landau, who represented the United States at the signing, said the agreement was intended to demonstrate a closer partnership between both countries.
“The signal we are sending is that the United States and Nigeria are partners,” he said, adding that both countries had undertaken significant areas of cooperation under Trump and Tinubu.
The latest development therefore places Nigeria’s mineral wealth at the centre of a broader conversation about US-Nigeria economic relations, strategic cooperation and investment, while the allegations made by Von-Batten-Montague-York have introduced questions about the diplomatic circumstances surrounding the agreement and the reported effort to secure a presidential meeting.
The claims by the lobbying firm remain allegations attributed to the firm and should be distinguished from the publicly stated objectives of the mining agreement, which focus on expanding cooperation, investment and value creation across Nigeria’s mineral sector.