$9m Lobbying Scandal: A Tale Of Wastefulness And Deception By A Profligate Regime -By Hajia Hadiza Mohammed

The news that the Nigerian government has spent a humongous sum Nine million Dollars ($9m) just to lobby the US government hit Nigerians like thunder bolt. According to Franc Utoo a one-time Principal Special Assistant to Benue State Governor who testified before the US Congress, a whooping sum of $9m, about N13.5 billion tax payers’ funds, was approved in December by the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government to launder the image of the government and to cover up for the killings going on in the country at the moment.

According to the reports from the US Department of Justice, the DCI group, a Washington-based public affairs and lobby firm was hired by the Nigerian government to engage the US officials on Nigerians counterterrorism efforts and the handling of religiously motivated violence across the country. The lobbying deal which was signed on the 17th December 2025 after an initial payment of $4.5m on the 12th of December was facilitated by Aster legal, a kaduna-based law firm acting on behalf of Nuhu Ribadu, the Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA). In the deal signed by the Aster Legal managing partner Oyetunji Olalekan Teslim and the DCI group managing member Justin Peterson, the lobbying contract will run for six months with automatic renewal unless terminated by either party.

In October last year, the US President, Mr. Donald Trump designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern”, citing allegations of systemic violence against Christian communities in Nigeria with the Nigerian government in spite of the overwhelming evidence of violence and killings tried vainly to deny the alleged killings against defenseless citizens. And to end what he calls Christian genocide Trump has threaten to go into Nigeria guns-ablazing on 1st November and on Christmas day, the US carried out air strikes on two terrorists’ enclaves in Bauni Forest in Tangaza LGA of Sokoto State, signaling deeper American involvement in counterterrorism efforts in Nigeria.

And so, hiring a lobbying firm to cover up that which is already known is more like an exercise in futility. And Nigerians are deeply worried about this wastefulness. The news of the said lobbying contract has created outrage with the country, with many question the rationale for such contract. Nigerians are worried about the amount involved, the purpose and the process.

Members of the opposition and concerned citizens have criticized the lobbying deal as baseless and misplaced priority rather than image management. Yes, there are reports and evidence that the trend in African countries like Egypt, South Africa, Somalia and some others is about hiring lobbying firms to market their interests abroad. But those are for the intention to defend strategic interest, shape global perception, and safeguard trade, investments and security interests. For instance, Kenya $1.2 million annually to protect African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) jobs and advance trade priorities.

So, obviously paying the huge sum of $9m for the purpose of covering what is an open secret is like playing the ostrich. The Nigerian government has acknowledged that there is insecurity in the country and said that they collaborated with US in the strike against the ISIS camp last December so why waste money lobbying to change the narratives? Can lobbying provide security? Can it obliterate the fact that thousands of Nigerians die yearly from banditry and terrorism? And if the government is lobbying to change the narratives about killings in Nigeria does it mean that the government is behind the killings and insecurity?

Unfortunately for those lobbying, their effort may not yield any fruitful result for the US has superior intelligence on the state of insecurity in Nigeria. They know that Nigeria is one of the most terrorized nations on earth today. They know the activities, strength and locations of the various terrorists groups – Bokoharam, ISIS, ISWAP and others – operating in the country. They have records of the attacks, the time and the places of attack. They have the casualty figures and every other information pertaining to insurgency, kidnapping and banditry in Nigeria. Thus, the lobbying is as unnecessary as it is wasteful.

It is therefore disheartening that our government is wasting tax-payers’ money just cover up what is public knowledge. This clearly shows insensitivity and self-deception. Our government is not willing to spend money to provide social security to vulnerable citizens but it is willing to spend to launder its battered image abroad. Just as one public affairs commentator says, that fund can be channeled to some of our teaching hospitals to improve health care service delivery. It can be channeled into education in a country that has over 30 million out of school children and millions of alimajiri and area-boys roaming the streets. The funds can be used to improve our infrastructural facilities but the government chose to fritter it away. The government can use it to empower our security agencies for if there was security, there wouldn’t have been any need for all of that. But our profligate government chose to attack the effect rather than the cause. This is rather very unfortunate!

Another disturbing issue in this lobbying saga is that the said $9m involved was unappropriated and that sounds fraudulent. In a saner environment, the NSA and all those involved in this lobbying scandal would be forced to resign or face prosecution. As I mentioned earlier, Kenya spends $1.2m annually on lobbying for its economic and other strategic interests but why would Nigeria spend $9m just to lobby to change the narrative that there are no Christian genocide in Nigeria? That is corruption. And why would NSA engage a private law firm to package the deal? Where is our foreign mission? And the implication of all of these is that the government of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is insensitive to the needs and the mood of the nation and it is not willing to work to improve the lots of the average citizens. The interest of Tinubu and his team of self-seeking political buccaneers is to remain in power at all costs.

Nigerians as 2027 beckons, you must take your destiny in your hands. You must earnestly seek to change the status quo or forever remain in this sorry state. The choice is yours to make. Long live Nigeria

Hajia Hadiza Mohammed
hajiahadizamohammed@gmail.com
An actress, social activist, politician
London, UK