The Economic Motive Behind the US-Nigeria Tension -By Abdullahi Abubakar Ladan

A familiar and cynical script is being rehearsed, this time targeting Nigeria. The recent allegations of a “Christian genocide,” championed by President Donald Trump, are not a reflection of our complex reality. They are a dangerous and calculated lie, a thin veil for a geopolitical shakedown aimed at punishing a nation that is boldly charting its own course.

The narrative is designed to be divisive, to paint a picture of a nation torn along religious lines. But to those of us who live here, it is a foreign fiction. As one poignant voice noted, “the farthest you can drive in the North without meeting a majority Christian community is 30km.” Nigeria is a tapestry of intertwined faiths and families. We are not isolated communities; we are neighbors, kin, and colleagues. The scourge of banditry and terrorism, a legacy of foreign instability and failed policies, does not discriminate in its victims. A missile, as the saying goes, does not ask for religious affiliation before it strikes. We are all victims, and this attempt to weaponize our shared suffering is an insult to our collective resilience.

So, if the “genocide” is a lie, what is the real reason for this sudden, intense concern from certain American quarters? The answer lies not in scripture, but in strategy and, more bluntly, in money.

1. The Oil Equation and a Challenge to American Dominance
For decades,Nigeria’s crude oil has been a cornerstone for refineries abroad, particularly in the United States. This dynamic is shifting dramatically. The Dangote Refinery, expanding to become the largest single-train refinery in the world at 1.4 million barrels per day, represents a monumental shift. It means Nigeria will keep its value-added refining process at home. Compounding this is President Bola Tinubu’s executive order mandating that crude oil be supplied to local refineries first. This is a declaration of economic sovereignty, and it directly threatens the profit margins of the powerful corporate interests that have long fed on Nigeria’s raw resources. As the text rightly points out, America is not run by a single president but by powerful families and corporations—and this decision hits them where it hurts: their wallets.

2. A Bold Foreign Policy: Saying “Yes” to Justice
During the last UN General Assembly,Nigeria joined over 140 nations to affirm that Israel’s IDF is committing acts of genocide in Gaza. This was a principled stand for human rights, a vote for international law over powerful interests. It was a statement that Nigeria’s foreign policy would not be dictated by Washington or its allies. The United States and Israel were not happy. This vote signaled that Nigeria is no longer a passive player on the world stage, and for an empire accustomed to compliance, dissent is seen as a threat.

3. The Unforgivable Sin: A Pivot to China
Perhaps the most significant trigger for this manufactured crisis is Nigeria’s deepening relationship with China.We are taking billions in loans and allowing Chinese companies to extract mineral resources in exchange for critical infrastructure. This strategic partnership represents a direct challenge to Western hegemony in Africa. The old colonial powers are watching their influence wane as Nigeria, a continental giant, looks East for partnerships built on different terms. This shift of alliances and trade is costing certain American interests millions, if not billions, of dollars. Their “concern” for Nigerian Christians emerged not during the height of the Boko Haram insurgency, but precisely as this financial bleeding began.

We have seen this movie before. The world was told about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. None were found, but Western corporations found oil, gold, opium, and other resources. The same blueprint is now being unfurled for Nigeria: to extort us of our oil, gold, uranium, lithium, and thousands of other minerals under the false pretense of “protecting Christians.”

We remember all too well when we genuinely needed support to end Boko Haram. The response from these same quarters was to sell us weapons with nonsensical restrictions and place sanctions that hindered our ability to properly arm ourselves against a terrorist organization many believe was designed to destabilize our region. Their “support” was a trap; their “protection” is a ruse.

We do not need your fake protection. This plot to divide us will fail, because our unity is not as fragile as you assume. It is time for Nigeria to solidify its independence by fully embracing strategic global partnerships, including joining the BRICS alliance as a full member.

The era of global dictatorship is ending. By poking Nigeria, the fading powers of the old world will not find a divided nation easy to conquer. They will find a united people, ready to prove to the world that the age of unquestioned American power is over. We will defend our sovereignty, our resources, and our right to choose our own partners. And we will do it together.