By Emmanuel Nduka Obisue
The Nigerian government entered into a $9 million contract with a United States–based lobbying firm to help communicate its efforts at protecting Christian communities to the US government amid growing international scrutiny, documents filed with the US Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), has revealed.
Local media TheCable reported that the documents shows that DCI Group, an American public affairs and lobbying firm, was engaged through Aster Legal, a law firm based in Kaduna State, acting on behalf of Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The agreement, signed on December 17, 2025, was executed by Oyetunji Olalekan Teslim, managing partner of Aster Legal, and Justin Peterson, managing member of DCI Group.
Under the contract, DCI Group is expected to assist the Nigerian government in communicating its actions to protect Christian communities, while also helping to sustain US support for Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts against jihadist groups and other destabilising forces in West Africa.
The initial duration of the agreement is six months, running until June 30, 2026, with an automatic renewal for another six months unless terminated by either party, TheCable reported on Tuesday. The contract allows termination without penalty, provided a 60-day written notice is given, the document further showed.
Financial details of the agreement indicate that the Nigerian government will pay DCI Group a monthly retainer of $750,000, amounting to $4.5 million for each six-month period. On December 12, Nigeria paid the firm $4.5 million as an upfront retainer for the first phase of the contract.
Heritage Times HT reports that the hiring of the lobbying firm comes amid heightened attention from the United States over reports alleging widespread killings of Christians in Nigeria.
It would be recalled that in October last year, US President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” following renewed claims of a Christian genocide in the country. Nigerian authorities have consistently rejected the allegations, insisting that violence in the country is driven by terrorism and criminality rather than religious persecution.
The Nigerian government has also pledged to engage more actively with US authorities to address the concerns. In November 2025, President Trump threatened military action against terrorist groups in Nigeria, citing the alleged targeting of Christian communities. Then on Christmas Day, the United States carried out air strikes on two terrorist enclaves in Bauni forest, Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State, further underscoring Washington’s growing involvement in Nigeria’s security challenges.
The Nigerian government maintains that its counterterrorism operations are aimed at protecting all citizens, regardless of religion, and has described the lobbying engagement as part of broader diplomatic efforts to correct what it sees as misleading narratives about the country’s security situation.
