The U.S. ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, has announced that bilateral trade between the two countries has increased to approximately $13 billion since last year.

Mr Mills disclosed this at a dinner organised by the U.S. Mission in Nigeria to mark the country’s 249th independence anniversary on Wednesday night in Abuja.

He said the spiralling trade relations between the two nations have fostered not only economic opportunities for Nigerians but have also created jobs for Americans and Nigerians alike.

“I am very proud that last year our trade with Nigeria soared to nearly $13 billion. That has fostered economic opportunities for Nigerians and created jobs for Americans and Nigerians alike.

“By stimulating trade, we are building a future where both nations are going to thrive as commercial partners,” he said.

The U.S. envoy said his country’s partnership with Nigeria would continue to evolve, adding that the partnership was currently being anchored on a commitment to shared prosperity.

He explained that this commitment entailed increasing commerce and trade between the U.S. and Nigeria, and increasing opportunities for workers in both countries.

Mr Mills said the event was to celebrate the U.S. shared values of freedom, democracy and the rule of law, and bid farewell to the departing staff of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

According to him, their tireless efforts transformed lives, adding that they delivered critical health and education programmes, and empowered Nigerians with hope and opportunity to make the world a better place.

“As USAID’s work concludes at the mission, let me assure all of you, especially our Nigerian friends, the life-saving programmes we have built together will continue, sustained through our partnership with Nigeria,” he said.

Speaking in an interview later, the U.S. ambassador stressed that the primary focus of U.S. diplomacy with Nigeria had currently shifted to developing commercial and trade relationships.

He stated that this commitment was in line with the U.S. recently unveiling the Commerce and Investment Partnership with Nigeria’s trade ministry, which he described as one of the most significant events.

“We call it CIP, and it brings together Nigerian companies and U.S. companies into the same room with very senior U.S. and Nigerian officials.

“They’re going to tell us, here’s what you, as governments, need to do to make it easier to do business and trade for American companies in Nigeria and for Nigerian companies in the U.S.

“That’s a big initiative, and I think it’ll really help develop business and trade over the next, I hope, next year or two,” Mills noted.

Foreign affairs minister Yusuf Tuggar noted that Nigeria and the U.S. had weathered diverse challenges in their respective journeys of nationhood, adding that both countries share strong bilateral relations.

Mr Tuggar said the two countries share an impressive diversity within their borders, making them global reference points for innovation, resilience, inclusion, and influence.

He said while the U.S. stands as one of the world’s largest democracies, Nigeria proudly holds that place on the African continent.

The minister stated that these realities have influenced the foreign policy direction of President Bola Tinubu, which places a strong emphasis on the pillars of democracy, given Nigeria’s unique position in African and global affairs.

(NAN)