Representatives of the United States and Nigerian governments, including business leaders and private sector operators from both countries, have convened in Abuja for the official launch of the working group meetings on Commercial and Investment Partnership (CIP).

The partnership, established under a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which was signed last year between the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Gina Raimondo, and Nigeria’s former Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite, aimed at deepening bilateral commercial cooperation and expanding economic opportunities in both countries.

The four senior U.S. and Nigerian officials leading the dialogue include the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills; Senior Commercial Officer, U.S. Department of Commerce, Julie LeBlanc; Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, as well as the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ambassador Nura Rimi.

In a statement issued yesterday by the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, following the inauguration of the partnership, Mills (Jr.) described the Commercial and Investment Partnership (CIP) as one of the top priorities of his tenure as the U.S. ambassador to Nigeria.

He said: “It gives me immense pleasure to see the launch of the working groups come to fruition. The CIP underscores the United States’ strong commitment to further enhancing our bilateral commercial and investment ties, fostering economic growth and creating opportunities that benefit people across our great countries.”

The inaugural discussions, which focused largely on agriculture, digital economy and infrastructure, comprised U.S. and Nigerian private sector participants, who kicked off by nominating group leads and identifying non-tariff barriers to trade and investment.