U.S. Mission Allegedly Engaging in Smear Campaign, Diplomatic Overreach Against Nigeria
Fresh diplomatic tensions have erupted between Nigeria and the United States as high-ranking officials in Abuja have accused the U.S. Mission in Nigeria of orchestrating a “relentless smear campaign” against the nation, violating established diplomatic norms and undermining long-standing bilateral goodwill.
At the heart of the dispute is the U.S. Mission’s alleged dissemination of an article by The Africa Report, a Paris-based magazine, which criticized Nigerian political elites for purported extravagant spending.
The publication particularly highlighted the construction of new Government Houses in Oyo and Gombe States, accusing the Governors of indulgent expenditure while ordinary citizens contend with economic hardship.
However, Nigerian government sources have dismissed the report as misleading and politically motivated, defending the two governors mentioned.
“The Governors targeted are among the most prudent in the country. Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has been widely recognized for his performance and fiscal discipline, while Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe has ensured financial prudence, maintained regular salary payments, improved healthcare delivery, and uplifted livelihoods.
These are not the hallmarks of mismanagement,” one senior official stated.
The sources alleged that the negative coverage originated from a commercial slight, revealing that the publisher of The Africa Report, who inherited the publication from his father, had previously sought financial support from the Nigerian Governors’ Forum for an “Africa Roundtable” event in Abidjan.
The Governors reportedly declined the proposal, which officials claim led to strained relations and subsequent negative reporting—now “amplified gleefully” by the U.S. Mission.
Officials expressed concern that the U.S. Mission’s actions may have breached international protocol, citing Article 41(1) of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which prohibits diplomats from interfering in the internal affairs of host countries.
This diplomatic spat adds to a list of grievances Nigeria has registered over recent years, including a long-standing U.S. prediction that the country would disintegrate by the year 2000—a forecast that proved unfounded.
More recently, the U.S. State Department’s July 15, 2025, travel advisory warning American citizens to avoid 18 Nigerian States due to insecurity and poor healthcare has drawn sharp rebuke from Nigerian officials and commentators.
Analysts have described the advisory as “alarmist” and lacking context, arguing that it unfairly characterizes the entire country while ignoring the relative safety and vibrancy of major urban centers such as Lagos and Abuja.
“The U.S. is on track to record around 47,000 gun-related deaths this year. Yet they issue broad warnings about Nigeria without acknowledging that many of our regions are safer than high-crime American cities. It’s a distorted narrative,” one source noted.
Despite the tensions, Nigerian officials emphasized that Abuja remains committed to its longstanding partnership with Washington but warned against actions that compromise national dignity.
“We value the decades of support from the United States. But this relationship must be based on mutual respect. Our sovereignty is not negotiable,” a senior aide stated.
