Opposition political parties have criticised the Federal Government over reports that it approved a $9 million contract for lobbying services in the United States, accusing the Bola Tinubu administration of prioritising image management abroad over addressing Nigeria’s worsening insecurity and economic hardship at home.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Labour Party described the reported deal as wasteful and insensitive at a time when millions of Nigerians are struggling with inflation, unemployment and rising violence.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the expenditure reflected “misplaced priorities,” arguing that no amount of paid lobbying could mask bloodshed or compensate for the government’s failure to protect lives and property.
“While the ADC recognises the importance of representing Nigeria’s interests internationally, spending $9 million on image management when citizens cannot afford food, fuel or basic healthcare is moral blindness,” the party said. “No amount of image laundering can erase the reality of mass killings, widespread insecurity and state failure.”
The party further argued that the move amounted to an admission of diplomatic failure, noting that key ambassadorial positions remain vacant while the government resorts to external lobbyists. It warned that framing the lobbying effort as a campaign to highlight the protection of Christians risked deepening religious divisions in an already polarised society.
The PDP echoed similar concerns. In an interview with The PUNCH, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said the administration appeared more interested in optics than governance, insisting that citizens’ welfare, not public relations campaigns, ultimately shapes a country’s global reputation.
“If you want Nigeria’s image to improve, treat Nigerians better,” Ememobong said. “We live in a globalised world where information travels instantly. Lobbyists cannot change the lived experiences of citizens or conceal the realities on ground. This contract is a waste of public funds.”
He added that Nigerian students and professionals abroad already provide credible, first-hand accounts of developments in the country, making expensive lobbying efforts ineffective and unnecessary.
The NNPP also condemned the alleged contract, describing it as ill-timed and inappropriate. Its National Publicity Secretary, Oladipo Johnson, argued that effective diplomacy should be driven by properly appointed ambassadors rather than private lobbying firms.
“With inflation, unemployment and insecurity ravaging the country, spending scarce resources on lobbyists is in bad taste,” Johnson said. “If there were full-time ambassadors in place, communication and diplomacy would be more effective. Lobbyists cannot change facts on the ground, especially on security issues.”
Reports of the lobbying arrangement emerged on Tuesday following filings with the United States Department of Justice, which indicated that a Kaduna-based law firm, Aster Legal, had retained US-based public affairs and lobbying firm DCI Group on behalf of Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. The agreement, reportedly valued at $9 million, was signed on December 17, 2025.
The contract is said to be aimed at communicating Nigeria’s efforts to protect Christians to the United States government, amid previous claims by former US President Donald Trump that Christians in Nigeria were facing genocide—claims the Federal Government has consistently denied.
While Nigeria has acknowledged ongoing security challenges, it has maintained that there is no genocide in the country. In December, the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), working with the Nigerian government, carried out airstrikes against terrorist targets in Sokoto State.
Efforts by The PUNCH to obtain a response from the All Progressives Congress (APC) were unsuccessful, as the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, could not be reached as of press time.
