Several African governments have invested significant resources hiring Washington-based lobbying firms to strengthen their ties with the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump, amid rapidly shifting diplomatic priorities and heightened security concerns. Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), Tanzania, and others have spent millions of dollars in recent years engaging lobbyists with close ties to the Trump administration, signaling a concerted effort by these nations to ensure their interests remain visible in an evolving U.S. foreign policy landscape.

Nigeria, with a population of approximately 242 million split roughly evenly between Christians and Muslims, has been a prominent client in this trend. The Nigerian government signed a $9 million per year contract with DCI Group, one of Washington’s leading Republican-aligned consulting firms, in an attempt to counter negative perceptions that had surfaced earlier in Trump’s presidency. This engagement came at a time when Trump had publicly criticized Nigeria, calling it a “disgraced country” accused of atrocities against Christians and launching a military strike against Islamist militants in northern Nigeria on Christmas Day 2019.

The lobbying contract, reportedly facilitated by Nigeria’s national security adviser Nuhu Ribadu through Aster Legal, was aimed in part at shifting the narrative around Nigeria’s internal security challenges, which include Islamist insurgencies, communal violence, and kidnapping. Notably, Roger Stone, a controversial political consultant pardoned by Trump in 2020, was listed among the consultants working to reshape Nigeria’s image. DCI orchestrated high-profile efforts such as arranging visits for Nigeria’s first lady, Remi Tinubu—a pastor at a Nigerian Pentecostal megachurch—to attend the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, where Trump publicly praised her in February 2023.

This outreach coincided with the absence of a Nigerian ambassador in Washington for nearly three years, placing additional diplomatic responsibilities in the hands of lobbyists. Nigerian opposition figures have criticized the expenditure as excessive and linked it to attempts to “launder” the government’s image abroad. Meanwhile, some experts caution that foreign governments may rely too heavily on lobbying groups at the expense of strengthening their formal diplomatic missions.

The Trump administration framed its engagement with African states in terms of restoring U.S. strength on the global stage and expanding cooperation on security issues. Since the strike and subsequent shift, the United States has reportedly delivered over $1 billion in military assistance to Nigeria, including arms shipments and hundreds of military advisers. This cooperation culminated in the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described by Trump as the global second-in-command of ISIS, in a joint operation in May 2023.

Other African nations have taken similar approaches. DR Congo employed several lobbying firms, including a contract with Ballard Partners, connected to a Trump 2024 campaign fundraiser, before terminating the deal. Kinshasa’s relations with the United States notably improved during Trump’s term, especially following U.S. sanctions against Rwanda. Tanzania, after deadly unrest linked to its 2022 elections, contracted BGR Group—whose managing director was involved in Trump’s 2016 campaign—to the tune of $3 million annually to aid image rehabilitation.

Lobbyists have played a key role in shaping U.S. policymakers’ understanding of complex regional issues. Some observers link early narratives of Christian persecution in Nigeria to campaigns initiated by lobbyists for an exiled Biafran group, which helped bring the issue to the attention of Christian constituencies in Congress and the White House. DCI’s efforts, however, have been credited with helping to reverse the perception of Nigeria, facilitating a marked improvement in bilateral relations.

While the renewed cooperation between the U.S. and Nigeria under Trump’s administration signals a diplomatic success for Abuja, challenges remain. In mid-2023, the U.S. House of Representatives moved to condition aid on Nigeria taking concrete steps to halt violence against Christians, underscoring ongoing concerns about security and religious freedom. The U.S. State Department continues to emphasize the importance of safety, rule of law, and protection of religious minorities.

Overall, the experience of African countries during Trump’s presidency illustrates the growing importance of lobbying and influence operations in Washington as tools to navigate the complexities of U.S. foreign policy and advance national interests amid shifting political winds.