US Ambassador, Govs Reach Deal on Key Partnership Areas

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Nigeria’s governors and the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr., Thursday reached agreements on four areas of partnership.

According to the communique of the Nigeria Governors forum (NGF) signed by the chairman , AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who is also Governor of Kwara State, said, ”The Forum engaged with the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, who shared his vision for a renewed and dynamic partnership between Nigeria and the United States.

”Highlighting a shift from a donor-recipient model to one of mutual collaboration, he underscored the importance of fostering economic opportunities for Nigerians.”

The Communique stated the Ambassador outlined four key priorities that will guide U.S. engagement with Nigeria.

The four areas, the Communique stated include ”Enhancing trade and improving the business environment to attract investments and drive economic growth.

”Promoting transparency and accountability in governance to strengthen institutions.

”Supporting subnational governments to bolster development at the state level and Establishing sustainable, Nigeria-led health programs to ensure long-term impact and resilience.”

The Nigeria Governors Forum said it welcomed this renewed approach and emphasized the critical role of states in driving economic and social development, stressing that the governors looks forward to deepening cooperation with the U.S. on these shared priorities.

Also, the communique of the meeting said they received a briefing from the Minister of Women Affairs on the Nigeria For Women Project (NFWP) Scale-Up, expanding nationwide from its initial six-state implementation.

”The project aims to support women’s economic empowerment through Women Affinity Groups (WAGs), livelihood grants, and capacity-building initiatives, contributing to the goal of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty.”

The governors, according to their communique engaged with the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria (COSLON) to discuss key issues, including strengthening synergy between COSLON and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), and ensuring subnational perspectives are well-represented in the ongoing constitutional review process.

Accordingly, communique said that COLSON also informed the governors of their partnership with Development Finance Institution (DFI’s) to digitize the State Houses of Assembly, aimed at enhancing legislative efficiency and transparency.

Governors, the communique said, reaffirmed their commitment to collaborating with state legislatures to advance governance reforms and ensure effective policy implementation at the subnational level.