Nigerian-born Wally Adeyemo, President Joe Biden’s administration’s highest-ranking member of the African diaspora, is scheduled to visit Nigeria to strengthen economic ties between the U.S. and his country of birth.
42-year-old Adeyemo emigrated from Nigeria to the United States as a child.
During his visit, Adeyemo is expected to meet with critical Nigerian government officials, business leaders, and representatives from various sectors.
In a statement, the U.S. Government said, “We are excited to announce that the Deputy Treasury Secretary will soon be making a highly anticipated visit to Nigeria in a significant effort to strengthen economic ties between the United States and Nigeria.
“This visit comes at a crucial time when both countries have recognized the immense potential for collaboration and mutual growth. Nigeria, with its vibrant economy and abundant resources, offers a vast array of opportunities for foreign investment, while the United States, as a global economic powerhouse, brings extensive expertise and capital to the table.
“During the visit, the Deputy Treasury Secretary will engage in a series of high-level meetings with key government officials, business leaders, and representatives from various sectors.
The discussions will revolve around enhancing trade relations, exploring avenues for investment, and addressing any potential barriers that hinder the bilateral economic relationship.
“The visit by the Deputy Treasury Secretary further reinforces the United States’ recognition of Nigeria’s potential as a strategic economic partner.
“The agenda of the visit will encompass several crucial topics. Discussions will include exploring avenues for increased trade, with a focus on areas such as energy, agriculture, technology, and finance.
“Both countries will seek to identify areas of complementarity and develop synergistic investment strategies to maximize mutual benefits.
“Furthermore, discussions around financial cooperation, including the fostering of greater collaboration between banking and financial institutions, will be prioritized.”
The U.S. government also stated that the visit of Adeyemo holds great promise for Nigeria and the United States alike.
Speaking on his proposed visit, Adeyemo told the New York Times:
“It’s one of those opportunities to go to a place that means a lot to me personally, but also to go to a place that means a lot to me professionally, just given that Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy with a huge demographic boom.
“It’s just a great chance for me to talk about how we can deepen the economic relationship and the strategic relationship at a moment when Nigeria has a government that’s already taken really important steps in terms of economic reform.”
