The United States has expressed its readiness to deepen its partnership with Nigeria through technology, trade, investment and the creative economy.
The new US Consul General in Lagos, Brandon Hudspeth, disclosed this on Thursday at a reception held in his honour in Lagos, describing Nigeria as a major source of commercial and cultural opportunities with global influence.
He said the emergence of new high-rise buildings, infrastructure and businesses reflected Lagos’ growing economic potential, while its energy, ambition and creativity remained unchanged.
Hudspeth said the commercial opportunities between Nigeria and the US were particularly significant, noting that bilateral trade had reached nearly $15 billion annually.
He added that more than 100 American companies were operating in Lagos, saying their investments demonstrated confidence in Nigeria’s market and its long-term economic potential.
Hudspeth noted that the growing partnership between both countries had the potential to shape commercial, cultural, political and economic developments beyond Africa.
The new consul general, who oversees US diplomatic activities across Nigeria’s 17 southern states, said his return to Lagos, where he previously served between 2020 and 2022, had given him a firsthand view of the city’s rapid development.
He identified the creative economy as another major area through which both countries could strengthen their relationship, citing Nigeria’s influence in Nollywood, Afrobeats, fashion, arts, food, culture, sports and design.
“Prosperity is never accidental. Nations succeed when they build the foundation that allows opportunity to flourish, and these opportunities are almost always created in the commercial sector,” he said.
“From Nollywood to Afrobeats, to fashion, arts, food, culture, sports, design, talent is simply pouring out of the city,” he added, describing Lagos as a “cultural powerhouse” whose influence had spread across the world.
Hudspeth said the US Consulate in Lagos would continue to support Nigerian artists, musicians and filmmakers by helping to connect their creativity with international audiences.
He also highlighted the strength of the diplomatic and people-to-people ties between Nigeria and the United States, noting that 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of American independence and 67 years of US-Nigeria relations.
According to him, Nigerians in the United States constitute one of the country’s most successful diaspora communities, numbering about 750,000 people and contributing more than $20 billion in remittances annually.
He said the longstanding relationship between the two countries had been sustained by strong cultural connections and the contributions of Nigerians and Americans to each other’s societies.
Hudspeth expressed optimism about the future of US-Nigeria relations, citing increased collaboration in the creative sector and the role of American companies in transforming Nigeria’s technological and economic landscape.
“I could not be more optimistic about what the future holds for the US-Nigeria partnership. There’s unprecedented collaboration in the creative sector; the American companies that are present with us today are transforming the technological and economic landscape,” he said.
He disclosed that a new US Consulate facility under construction at Eko Atlantic City would be completed and opened in 2028, describing the project as another reflection of the growing relationship between the two countries.
Representing the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the reception, the Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, described Hudspeth’s return to Lagos as an opportunity to deepen the existing relationship between the state and the United States.
Salu-Hundeyin noted that his previous service in Lagos between 2020 and 2022 had given him a strong understanding of the city and its people.
She said his previous tenure coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, when Lagos and the rest of the world faced unprecedented disruption and uncertainty, adding that he was returning to a city that had grown and evolved.
“You therefore return to a Lagos that you already know, but also to a Lagos that has changed, grown, and moved forward,” she said.
The SSG also expressed appreciation to Hudspeth’s predecessor, Rick Swart, for his service and engagement with Lagos, wishing him well following his retirement from the US Foreign Service.
The reception was attended by key stakeholders in the business, creative and political sectors, among other sectors of the economy.
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