President Bola Tinubu has been left out of a summit at the White House, where U.S. President Donald Trump is set to host the leaders of Senegal, Mauritania, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, and Gabon for talks on economic cooperation.
The meeting, scheduled for July 9, is aimed at strengthening commercial ties between the United States and selected African nations.
According to a White House source, President Trump will host the group for a working lunch emphasising that “African countries offer incredible commercial opportunities which benefit both the American people and our African partners”.
This invitation, it is understood, is part of Trump’s broader strategy to shift focus from traditional aid—deemed wasteful—to investment and trade deals under his “America First” agenda.
The summit comes amid a significant tightening of U.S. foreign aid to Africa, redirecting diplomatic efforts toward mutual economic gain.
President Tinubu, meanwhile, is currently on a two-nation diplomatic tour. He arrived in Saint Lucia on June 28, engaging in a state visit that included meetings with the Governor-General and Prime Minister, an address to the joint Parliament, and a working luncheon with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States.
Following his Caribbean engagements, Tinubu is set to travel to Rio de Janeiro on July 6–7 for the 17th BRICS Summit, attending as a “partner country”.
