The Nigerian government has accused the United States Mission in Nigeria of orchestrating a “relentless smear campaign” by amplifying a misleading report from The Africa Report, a Paris-based magazine, which criticized Nigerian political elites for lavish spending on government buildings amid economic hardship. Senior government sources, speaking anonymously to The Nation Newspaper on August 2, 2025, claimed the U.S. Mission’s actions violate Article 41(1) of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which prohibits interference in a host country’s internal affairs. The report specifically highlighted new government houses in Oyo and Gombe states, but Nigerian officials defended Governors Seyi Makinde and Inuwa Yahaya as prudent leaders, dismissing the claims as politically motivated and exaggerated.
The controversy stems from a July 29, 2025, U.S. Mission Facebook post under #TransparencyTuesday, which cited The Africa Report’s allegations of fiscal recklessness by some governors, prompting mixed reactions. While some Nigerians, praised the U.S. for pressuring Nigeria on corruption, others criticized the Mission for breaching diplomatic norms by commenting on internal governance. Sources allege the negative coverage may be linked to a commercial dispute, claiming The Africa Report’s publisher sought funding from the Nigerian Governors’ Forum for an Abidjan event, which was declined, leading to strained relations.
Nigerian officials emphasized their commitment to the U.S. partnership but warned against actions undermining national sovereignty. “The U.S. highlights Nigeria’s challenges while ignoring its own, like 47,000 annual gun deaths,” one source told The Sun, arguing that many Nigerian regions are safer than high-crime U.S. cities.
