Good evening, everyone. On behalf of the U.S. Consulate General in Nigeria, I welcome you to our celebration of the 249th Independence Day of the United States of America. I’m the Acting Consul General JoEllen Gorg, and it’s a pleasure to see the amazing group of people who are here to celebrate with us.  

Let me begin by recognising the distinguished guests with us tonight. We are honoured by the presence of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, as well as other Governors and Deputy Governors. I also welcome members of the National Assembly, traditional rulers, religious leaders, members of the diplomatic corps, and all dignitaries present.

Every Fourth of July, across the United States, millions of Americans reflect on values that have defined us for nearly 250 years: freedom, excellence, and opportunity. These ideals not only fuel our national spirit but underpin our international relations. Today, as we celebrate American independence, we also celebrate our enduring partnership with Nigeria. A partnership rooted in expanded economic opportunity, deepened commercial engagement, and long-term mutual prosperity.

Under the Trump Administration, the United States is prioritising commercial engagement over development assistance. We want to work with African nations not as aid recipients, but as commercial partners. In May, we announced a new Commercial Diplomacy Strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa, and at the recently concluded U.S.-Africa Business Summit in Angola, where several deals were signed that will further boost economic partnership between the continent and the United States.

Here in Nigeria, our commercial engagement is enshrined in the U.S.-Nigeria Commercial and Investment Partnership, a 5-year initiative to boost trade, remove commercial barriers, and attract investment. I’m proud to say that Nigeria is one of only five African countries that have been selected for this type of agreement. Last week, the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria joined the Minister for Industry, Trade, and Investment and nearly 50 U.S. and Nigerian private sector participants to formally launch the working groups of this partnership.

These working groups will focus on identifying and creating an action plan to dismantle non-tariff barriers to trade in the agriculture, digital economy, and infrastructure sectors. Through the Commercial and Investment Partnership, we aim to unlock investment and create well-paying jobs on both sides of the Atlantic.    

Of course, this partnership was not started from scratch—was built on a strong existing foundation.

As we gather here in the economic hub of Lagos, I’m proud to say the two-way trade in goods and services between our nations totaled nearly $13 billion last year, and U.S. foreign direct investment in Nigeria hit $6.5 billion, a 5.5% increase from 2022. Over 80 major U.S. companies operate in Nigeria across key sectors. And let’s not forget the over 750,000 people of Nigerian descent living in the United States, the largest African diaspora community in America.

Many of these Nigerians, some of whom are with us tonight, are shaping our technology, healthcare, and finance sectors. Several successful companies were co-founded by Nigerian alumni of U.S. universities.
That’s the power of people-to-people ties, and it’s the bedrock of our economic future.

Here at the U.S. Consulate General Lagos, we are excited to support travel to the United States.  We ask that all visitors to the United States be responsible travellers and adhere to U.S. immigration laws. Please help convey this to your coworkers, your friends, and your family and remember that each traveller from Nigeria is an Ambassador for your country.

To the investors, entrepreneurs, and public officials here tonight who are working to drive trade and commerce: let’s seize this opportunity to tackle trade bottlenecks, reduce investment barriers, and unlock the full potential of the U.S.-Nigeria partnership. The world’s eyes are on Nigeria—not just because of its size, but because of its growing influence.

In closing, I wish to thank our many partners for their collaboration, including our sponsors whose names you will see listed in the program.  It’s their generosity that has made this event possible. 

Also, allow me to thank the amazing Consulate team who put this event together.

To all our guests and friends, thank you again for celebrating with us. I am pleased to now invite Lagos State Governor Sanwo-Olu to say a few words.

Acting Consul General JoEllen Gorg’s remarks delivered on Monday for the U.S. 249th Independence Day celebration