…Exclusion from White House trade talks indictment of Tinubu
Our Reporter, Abuja
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned the exclusion of Nigeria from a high-level U.S.-Africa trade dialogue being held this week at the White House, describing it as a damning indictment of the Tinubu administration’s economic and diplomatic failures.
The meeting, which begins Wednesday, brings together the Presidents of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal to explore commercial opportunities with American companies. Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, was conspicuously left out.
In a statement issued Tuesday by the party’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the decision by the Trump administration to bypass Nigeria reflects a collapse in both international confidence and diplomatic standing under the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government.
“For years, African thought leaders have urged the West to treat African nations as trade partners, not aid dependents,” the statement read. “Now that an American president is finally promoting trade over aid, Nigeria—the continent’s economic giant—has been left off the list. This is not a mistake; it is a message.”
Citing the White House’s criteria for selecting invitees—“the ability, and willingness, to help themselves”—the ADC argued that Nigeria’s absence signals that the international community no longer sees the country as a reliable partner or leader.
“Although we boast the largest consumer market in Africa and a globally influential diaspora, the United States has instead chosen to engage with countries whose combined GDPs are only a fraction of ours. What this tells the world is that size is irrelevant without leadership, transparency, and accountability,” Abdullahi said.
The party described the snub as unthinkable just a few years ago, pointing to what it called Nigeria’s “dramatic decline in global stature” since President Tinubu assumed office.
Adding to the country’s diplomatic woes, the ADC noted that Nigeria now faces a threatened 10% tariff from former U.S. President Donald Trump due to its recent alignment with BRICS, the emerging economic bloc Nigeria joined in January 2025.
“We are not opposed to BRICS,” the party clarified. “But we are opposed to Nigeria punching below its weight. This country should be leading continental conversations, not playing in the small leagues.”
The ADC also lamented what it called Nigeria’s “diminishing relevance” within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), accusing the APC government of eroding Nigeria’s leadership in the sub-region.
“Once the acknowledged leader of Africa, Nigeria is now reduced to backroom diplomacy with countries like St. Lucia—whose population is smaller than a rural local government in Nigeria.
“Yet our president found it fit to spend a whole week there, with no coherent explanation,” the statement continued.
ADC further said that the APC has not only stalled Nigeria’s economic progress but also robbed it of the opportunity to shape global trade discussions and attract meaningful foreign investment.
“Were Nigeria still providing the leadership that Africa expects of us, and which we’ve offered in the past, we would be at the table in Washington today.
“We have the head of the World Trade Organisation in Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, yet we lack the credibility to influence trade talks where it matters,” the statement said.
