Rex Tillerson, the U.S. Secretary of State will today make his first official visit to Nigeria. Tillerson is expected in Abuja today. This trip will mark the first time a high ranking government official from the Trump administration makes an official trip to the West Africa nation.
The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria has sent a press advisory saying Tillerson will hold talks with President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday.
Tillerson has been on a week-long tour of Africa; on March 8th, he was at the African Union (AU) Commission headquarters in Addis Ababa meeting the organization’s Commission. The trip to Ethiopia was also his first official visit, before traveling to Chad, Djibouti, Kenya, and now Nigeria.
During his visit in East Africa, Tillerson announced the U.S. planned aid package to Africa worth $533 million, out of which $128 million designated for Nigeria and the countries surrounding Lake Chad.
During his meeting with President Buhari, the talk between the two is expected to delve into counter-terrorism measures and humanitarian concerns in Northeast areas of Nigeria and the Lake Chad basin. Tillerson is expected to discuss how the U.S. and Nigeria can partner in advancing peace and security, mutually beneficial trade ties, good governance, and investment opportunities.
Tillerson will also meet U.S. Embassy staff in Nigeria and take part in the events related to the U.S. government-sponsored activities.
