Nigeria’s effort to influence Washington’s perception of its internal security challenges has escalated into an intense lobbying contest, with the federal government far outspending Biafran secessionist groups as both sides seek to sway President Donald Trump over allegations of a “Christian genocide” in the country.
President Bola Tinubu’s administration and its allies moved swiftly after Trump warned in November that the United States could intervene in Nigeria “guns ablazing.”
Alarmed by the remarks, Abuja entered into a high-powered lobbying arrangement in Washington to counter separatist narratives and defend its security record.
The Nigerian government, through its supporters, signed a $750,000-per-month, renewable contract with the Republican-linked DCI Group, initially covering six months.
The deal is aimed at engaging US policymakers on visa policy, military cooperation, trade and tariffs, while also highlighting Nigeria’s efforts to protect both Christians and Muslims and combat jihadist violence.
The scale of the DCI Group contract dwarfs that of the Biafran Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE), a shadowy separatist entity that is paying $66,000 a month to the smaller Madison & Washington lobbying firm.
That contract seeks to push for US sanctions against Nigerian officials, deeper engagement with a hypothetical Biafran administration, and even future military cooperation and oil deals with Washington.
Africa Confidential notes that the oil-rich Niger Delta does not identify as part of a proposed landlocked Biafra, further complicating the separatists’ claims.
Both camps are targeting similar political audiences in Washington, particularly conservative and evangelical Christian networks close to Trump.
This lobbying push has unfolded alongside intensified US–Nigeria security cooperation, including closer intelligence coordination and US air strikes on suspected jihadist targets in northern Nigeria during the Christmas period.
Details of the DCI Group contract show that Tinubu’s allies are paying the firm—via Aster Legal—to explain Nigeria’s security strategy and seek continued US support in countering jihadist groups across West Africa.
The contract is reportedly led by DCI’s managing member, Justin Peterson, and senior adviser Doug Davenport, a long-time Republican strategist with close ties to Trump.
By contrast, the Madison & Washington contract, announced on January 10, is far more ambitious relative to its $66,000 monthly fee.
It calls for defence and counter-terrorism cooperation with a future Biafran administration and engagement with US oil and gas companies, while accusing the Nigerian state of complicity in violence against Christians.
Africa Confidential counters that separatist violence in the South-east has also resulted in Christians killing other Christians, a fact omitted from the Biafran lobbyists’ narrative.
The report outlines a rapid sequence of events following Trump’s November 1, 2025 statement. Between November 2 and 19, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and his team held high-level meetings with the US Department of Defense and Trump-aligned officials.
On November 20, Ribadu and Nigerian intelligence officers met US Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine.
Subsequently, Nigeria and the US established a Joint Working Group to accelerate intelligence sharing and arms requests.
US air strikes initially planned for December 24 were moved to December 25, following Trump’s insistence on Christmas Day operations.
On January 8, 2026, Trump told The New York Times that further strikes were likely.
The lobbying battle is set against a looming US congressional decision in the first quarter of 2026 on whether to approve the sale of $346 million worth of precision-guided munitions to Nigeria.
The Office of the National Security Adviser has confirmed receiving over $100 million worth of military equipment in recent weeks, while at least 12 Bell Textron AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopters valued at $997 million are expected to be delivered by 2028.
Africa Confidential also highlights internal turmoil within the BRGIE, noting disputes over leadership legitimacy and allegations of fundraising fraud involving its supposed acting prime minister, Isaiah Harrison Anyaogu.
Meanwhile, sources in Abuja have confirmed that the federal government has formally engaged the DCI Group to support Nigeria’s strategic engagement with the United States across security, diplomacy, trade and values-based policy priorities.
According to officials familiar with the deal, the engagement is intended to ensure clear and consistent communication of Nigeria’s reform agenda and security efforts, strengthen ties with US policymakers and faith-based leaders, and reinforce cooperation on counter-terrorism and regional stability.
A DCI Group representative said the firm was “pleased to support the Government of Nigeria in communicating its efforts to protect Christians and people of all faiths from radical jihadist groups, while also strengthening trade and commercial ties that benefit both countries.”
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