About the Council

Why Now

Global firms and investors are increasingly drawn to Nigeria, Africa’s largest and most dynamic market. However, navigating Nigeria’s complex and rapidly changing business ecosystem requires trusted partnerships and coordinated strategies. Collaboration is necessary not only to maximize individual firms’ potential, but also to grow and diversify the Nigerian economy.

What We Do

The U.S. Nigeria Council (USNC) acts as a Convener, Clearinghouse and Catalyst for U.S. and Nigerian firms. USNC is the go-to C-suite access point for large-scale U.S. and Nigerian investors providing valuable business insights and actionable intelligence to its members while building targeted partnerships that catalyze a new wave of diversified investment and inclusive growth.

The Council acts as a network and meeting place for high level industry leaders to better synchronize their diverse and overlapping engagements in the Nigerian economy. USNC fills a gap in Nigeria’s presence in the United States. As a permanent advocacy mechanism, the Council ensures that Nigeria is represented and top of mind among U.S. policy makers.

The Council helps its members engage coherently on major trade and investment policies and regimes such as FATCA, FCPA, Basel 3, AGOA, T-TIP, Power Africa, the Nigeria-US Bilateral Investment Treaty, Dodd Frank and the Farm Bill . In this way, the Council, in both times of optimism and waning confidence, offers vested companies a unified voice at the table on the most critical issues facing the U.S.-Nigeria relationship in the 21st century.

The Council manages inbound investment and outbound partnership requests, acting as a full service facilitator for members and offering access to the highest levels of government and industry in order to inform policy.

This clearinghouse role includes connecting valued participants with other firms for potential joint ventures, government officials and agencies, and other public and private sector participants. The Council actively engages throughout the partnering process, helping firms build complete financial, regulatory and stakeholder dossiers. USNC members will be assisted in their efforts to navigate U.S. agencies such as the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency and U.S. Ex-Im Bank, and their Nigerian counterparts including the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission, and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.

By combining forces, U.S. and Nigerian firms will not only amplify the impact of their existing investments but also generate new opportunities for firms not yet in the market to establish operations.

The Nigerian economy has an immense backlog of ideas, demands and investment goals that require a “co-creation” process to address and advance. The Council will identify ideal participants on specific operational issue areas, convene those participants, and draw out critical gaps new ideas, identify overlapping capabilities and interests, and formulate enduring commercial partnerships.

Member Benefits

USNC founding members establish a roadmap for priority issues and sectors and provide consent for council projects and measures. The Council meets twice a year to facilitate collaboration and advance mutual interests.

Shape the Future of the Organization

Directly Access Influential Stakeholders

Share Information With the Leading Insiders

Testimonials

"A USNC executive dinner gave me the platform to promote Tomato Jos amongst the leaders of both the Nigerian and American private sector, which led to direct investment in my company from a USNC member."

- Mira Mehta, CEO, Tomato Jos

"The US-Nigeria Council is focused on tangible results. They help forge valuable connections, and have already begun solving real business problems for us through their impressive network. Their focus on the digital economy is both important to us and to Nigeria. We’re very excited to be part of the USNC."

- Seni Sulyman, Country Director, Andela