The stage for the battle for the heart of Nigeria which China had begun ahead of US President Donald Trump’s election seems to be getting hotter by the day.
This is coming from the recent strategic presidential phone call by Trump on President Muhammadu Buhari explaining readiness to grow Nigeria’s bilateral relations with the US.
However, experts say China may continue to have the upper hand considering its financial commitments in Nigeria over US mere diplomatic build up.
Statistics show that in the last six months, Nigeria had sealed funding deals running in excess of $10bn and is still ready to do more.
It would be recalled that Trump spoke to Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari about fighting terrorism/ He also chatted with President Jacob Zuma about strengthening ties with South Africa
(CNN)President Donald Trump has been increasingly chatting with other world leaders during his first weeks in office. On Monday he turned his attention to Africa.
Femi Adesina had said that Trump assured the Nigerian president that the US is ready to help obtain “a new deal in helping Nigeria in terms of military weapons to combat terrorism.”
In a statement to CNN, Adesina also said, “President Trump encouraged President Buhari to keep up the good work he is doing, and also commended him for the efforts made in rescuing 24 of the Chibok Girls and the strides being taken by the Nigerian military.”
Trump also invited President Buhari to Washington at a mutually convenient date. Buhari, who congratulated Trump on his election, is currently in London on an extended break while he awaits the results of unspecified medical tests.
