Nigeria minister touts ‘quite good’ relationship with US

Jumoke Oduwole teased a forthcoming deal on critical minerals at The Next 3 Billion. Nigeria’s trade minister on Tuesday described the country’s relationship with the US as “actually quite good” despite a 12.5% tariff Washington imposed on Nigerian exports in July as part of a broader action targeting 60 countries. “The US-Nigeria relationship is actually quite good,” Jumoke Oduwole, Nigeria’s federal minister of industry, trade and investment, said at Semafor’s The Next 3 Billion. “We went through our tariffs, which took a steady approach. We were not reactive and we landed quite well.” Nigeria previously avoided retaliating against the tariff, with Oduwole saying at the time Abuja would engage the World Trade Organization for “mutually beneficial solutions.” Instead, Oduwole noted, the country has been working to deepen cooperation with the US in specific areas like critical minerals. Both countries are expected to finalize a pact this week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Oduwole declined to confirm, but strongly implied, that the announcement is imminent: “We’ve prepared them and you will have some.” She said Nigeria brought a delegation to the US this w