It was a diplomatic visit with overtones and undertones. There’s a scramble for African countries support and solidarity between the United States of America and China. Both countries are reaching out more aggressively and they are putting mouth watering enticing offers on the table. Several projects are been financed in Nigeria with loans from China.

A little over a year ago, the U.S. hosted Africa Leaders Summit convening leaders from 49 African nations. Anthony Blinken’s visit is in continuation and consolidation of that relationship. Mr. Blinken is the second-highest-ranking member of the president’s Cabinet, after the Vice President, and ranks fourth in the United States presidential line of succession; first amongst cabinet secretaries.

He is the highest-ranking official from the US President Joe Biden government to visit Nigeria since the February 25, 2023 poll that brought President Bola Ahmed Tinubu into office.

Mr. Blinken, arrived the State House, Abuja held a bilateral meeting with President Tinubu and some of his key appointees. Discussions centred around food security, pharmaceuticals, climate action, blue economy development, science and technology, security in Nigeria, and the West African region.

After the bilateral meeting with the President, he had a joint press conference with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar before his departure to Lagos where he met with the business community on Wednesday and later commissioned the American Corner in Lekki, Lagos state.

US Secretary of State’s week long African tour includes stops in Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Angola, focusing on discussions related to regional security, conflict prevention, democracy promotion, and trade.

The Sweet Message
The US Secretary of State during his meetings dropped one key point that was pleasing to most Nigerian ears.
“American entrepreneurs and American companies are eager to partner with and invest in Nigeria’s economy, particularly in the tech sector…,” he said.

He , however, lamented at a press briefing at Presidential Villa,Abuja on Tuesday that :”corruption and difficulty in repatriating capital amongst others are some of the reasons American entrepreneurs eager to invest in Nigeria are stalling.

His words: “American entrepreneurs and American companies are eager to partner with and invest in Nigeria’s economy, particularly in the tech sector… Nigeria offers real, clear, compelling opportunities for investors. At the same time, I think it is no secret that there remain some long-term challenges that need to be overcome…,” he said.

Already, tech giants from the US have teamed up with Nigerian partners to help meet President Bola Tinubu’s one million digital jobs initiative.

Mr. Blinken also made a pledge of ⁠$45m for security for Nigeria and other West African countries. He is also visiting and would be holding meetings in Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, and Angola to reaffirm US commitment to high-level engagement with Africa.

The Sour Message
The US Secretary of State also expressed some concerns. Blinken said it was important from the U.S. perspective and the perspective of the U.S. Congress to focus on making sure that civilians were protected.

“That humanitarian considerations be taken into concern. As all of these efforts are underway, and that’s part of our dialogue and conversation too, with our partners in Nigeria, and elsewhere in the region,” he said.

“Having said that, it’s important that we work to support our partners who are trying to find effective ways of providing security, and we are working to support Nigeria, to support our Lake Chad region partners. To strengthen the capacity of their security forces in a whole variety of ways to deal with insecurity. And yes, that does go to equipment and technology for weapons and we’re working on that.

“But it also goes to many other things including information sharing, intelligence, technical support, advice, and it goes to having a comprehensive approach that genuinely focuses on citizen security

He said the U.S. was concerned about the security challenges faced by Africa in securing the region from extreme terrorism, violence and other criminal activities that affected the people.

He decried insecurity and resort to undemocratic means of changing democratically elected leaders like the situation in Niger Republic. Blinken said the collaboration between African countries and America must be based on critical regional strategies to address these situations.

Commendation for Tinubu’s Reforms
Mr Blinken said he believes President Tinubu’s administration is focussed on addressing the challenges.“I know that President Tinubu is focused on these challenges, and we also welcome his very bold economic reforms to unify the currency and end fuel subsidy.

“We also recognise that in the short term, these reforms created pain for vulnerable communities.

“I spoke about some ways that the United States can support Nigerians while the government carries out these essential reforms, and work to protect those who may again in the short term, be negatively affected,” he said.

Mr Blinken said that in spite of the identified challenges in Nigeria, the government and American entrepreneurs still continue to explore the great potential of the country in reaching Africa.

He said that large investments are being made by private sector companies in collaboration with local entities to ensure development, especially in the health sector.

Activities in Lagos
In Lagos, Mr. Blinken said the US will join hands with Nigeria to generate energy and tackle plastic pollution.

Mr. Blinken said the US mission in Nigeria would launch the Nigerian marine and blue economy, to develop solutions to economic and environmental challenges.

According to him:”Our own mission in Nigeria is working with our Congress to launch the Nigerian Marine and Blue Economy, a hackathon. We’ll bring together the government, the private sector, students to develop solutions to economic and environmental challenges, like addressing plastic pollution or using ocean currents to create energy,” he stated.

Mr. Blinken who said this while unveiling the 25th American Corners in the Lekki area of Lagos State on Wednesday said : “Nigeria has more American Spaces than any other African country, 24 locations in 21 cities, 4,400 programs reaching 100,000 Nigerians every year, and now number 25”.

American Corners serve as regional resource centres for information and programs highlighting American culture, history, current events, and government.

Speaking at the unveiling, Blinken said “it’s no secret to anyone that in the coming years one in four inhabitants of the planet will be from this continent, and so we would ignore Africa at our peril”.