Will Stevens, the United States Consular General has announced the end of his tenure in Nigeria, during a celebration commemorating the U.S annual thanksgiving service in partnership with the American Business Council (ABC) in Lagos.
Stevens expressed pride in being part of this progress and reaffirmed his commitment to advancing Nigeria-US relations.
He praised the progress made on Nigeria – US bilateral relationship which has seen remarkable growth, from increased trade to high-level engagements.
Read also: France eyes deeper ties with Nigeria, pledges support for Tech and Trade
According to him, there was an increase in trade volumes from $10bn to $11.3bn over the past year.
According to the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, in 2023, two-way trade in goods and services between Nigeria and the United States totaled over $11billion.
In 2023, U.S. direct investment in Nigeria was $6.5billion, an increase of 5.5% from 2022.
Stevens remarked,
“It has been the honour of my life to spend the last two and a half years living in Nigeria and working with the amazing people here”.
“Our bilateral relationship has seen remarkable growth, from increased trade to high-level engagements like the Binational Commission meeting in April.”
The United States Consulate in Lagos celebrated the growing impact of the American Business Council on Nigeria-US bilateral trade, revealing an increase in trade volumes from $10bn to $11.3bn over the past year.
“We’ve done so much to build and grow our relationship from increases in bilateral trade, which I mentioned, from a little bit over $10bn of bilateral trade to $11.3bn in the last year.”
Stevens lauded the contributions of US companies and the mission’s initiatives in Nigeria, stating “Tonight, we’re celebrating Thanksgiving with the American Business Council and so many of our partners across Nigeria. It’s a time to come together and acknowledge the incredible work by US companies, the mission, and local communities to strengthen Nigeria.”
Read also: Trump victory to test US democratic institutions, foreign relations
Stevens highlighted initiatives such as EducationUSA, which invests in the next generation of Nigerian students pursuing education in the US, and a network of 27 American Spaces that foster cultural and educational exchange.
He said, “We have things like EducationUSA, how the U.S. mission invests in the next generation of students in the United States. We have our network of 27 American spaces represented here.
“We have companies from across Nigeria and wherever you see US companies invested, you see them investing not just in business and trade, but investing in the people that they work with and the people that work for them, but also the communities where they work.”
Stevens praised the dedication of US companies to Nigeria, highlighting their significant contributions to local communities.
He remarked that wherever US companies invest, they not only focus on business and trade but also on the well-being and development of the people and communities in which they operate.
Margaret Olele, the CEO and Executive Secretary of the ABC, underlined the Council’s role as the representative of American businesses in Nigeria and its efforts to promote trade and investment between the two nations.
She emphasised the Council’s commitment to social impact as a fundamental aspect of its operations, noting, “US companies are here for the long haul. You’ll find us in various sectors, building capacity and adding value.”
Read also: Nigeria, Vietnam to boost bilateral trade, relations
Olele also highlighted a recent partnership with the United States Agency for International Development and a Silicon Valley-based start-up university to train Nigerian youths in digital solutions through cybersecurity hackathons.
“We represent over 91 US companies in Nigeria and collaborate closely with the US mission to enhance various sectors of the country,” Olele stated.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
