Nigeria and the United States (US) are intensifying economic collaboration through a long-term Commercial Investment Partnership (CIP), with an emphasis on job creation, as well as on trade volume across key sectors of the Nigerian economy.
Agriculture, infrastructure and the digital economy have been identified as priority areas in a recently held meeting with US officials hosted by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. These priority areas were selected for their growth potential and capacity to generate employment across multiple value chains. Nigerian and US officials argue that these sectors offer the most direct routes to new jobs in farming, construction, logistics, services and technology.
Jumoke Oduwole, Nigeria’s minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, highlighted the synergies between Nigerian and US systems.
“We’re supporting the private sector as they scale in services and technology. You know the synergy between the Nigerian tech ecosystem and the US. When you talk about agriculture, the US has been a world leader for many years, and Nigeria has prioritised the agriculture sector. So whether from mechanisation or the entire value chain, that synergy is clear… we’ve been working and prioritising infrastructure.”
US officials echoed this view. Jason Hafemeister, acting assistant administrator at the US Foreign Agricultural Service, said, “We see great opportunities for cooperation and collaboration between the US and Nigeria, particularly since our agricultures are very complementary. Some of the things we grow best don’t grow very well here. Some of the things that grow very well here,e we cannot produce. So we look forward to closer economic ties that benefit both of our countries.”
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Trade figures highlight opportunity
Trade data underscores the scale of the opportunity. In 2024, trade in goods and services between Nigeria and the US reached approximately $13 billion, with US exports to Nigeria at $4.2 billion, led by machinery, vehicles, agricultural products and consumer goods. Nigerian exports to the US totalled $5.7 billion, dominated by oil and energy, though non-oil exports, including cocoa, sesame, fertiliser and manufactured goods, are steadily growing.
Predictability as a driver of investment
Bradley McKinney, deputy assistant secretary for US Commerce, Services (Global Markets), stressed that predictability is central to translating these opportunities into tangible economic outcomes.
“Our objective with the CIP is to translate these recommendations into action and outcomes, actions that generate new business. The only way that will happen is by cultivating predictability. This must be the core of our execution strategy. Investors, whether Nigerian or American, depend on clear rules, consistent enforcement, and transparent processes to make long-term decisions. When regulatory systems are predictable and rules-based, risk is reduced, capital flows more easily, and deals get signed.”
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Digital economy: A fast-growing source of jobs
The digital economy, in particular, is seen as a fast-growing source of skilled and semi-skilled employment.
“Nigeria’s technology sector already relies heavily on US platforms and services, including Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Amazon Web Services, Salesforce and Zoom,” Hafemeister said. “Our trade and services relationship continues to deliver strong commercial value for US companies. Nigeria’s digital adoption demonstrates both the scale of opportunity and the confidence Nigerian businesses place in American technology.”
Deeper integration in the digital economy could support job creation in software development, business process outsourcing, digital services and tech-enabled logistics, while also helping small and medium-sized enterprises scale more efficiently.
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Non-oil export diversification and inclusive growth
Officials on both sides emphasised that expanding non-oil exports and services is essential if trade growth is to translate into broad-based employment.
“A central priority for us is to accelerate non-oil export diversification and to ensure that more Nigerian businesses can access US markets in a way that is competitive, sustainable and inclusive,” McKinney said.
As the partnership moves from strategy to execution, policymakers agree that its economic promise will ultimately be judged not by communiqués or announcements but by the jobs created and the measurable impact on Nigeria’s economy.
