The Nigerian government outspent pro-Biafra lobbyists in Washington as both sides compete to influence US President Donald Trump over allegations of a “Christian genocide” in the country.
According to the lobbying contract document filed with the US Department of Justice, Aster Legal, a law firm in Kaduna, hired the services of DCI Group on behalf of Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser (NSA).
DCI Group is a US-based public affairs and lobbying firm. The group has helped build religious freedom support for Ukraine among US conservatives and secured a delay in the implementation date of EU regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR).
The six month agreement was signed on December 17, 2025, and would be automatically renewed for another six months.
Under the deal, Nigeria will pay a monthly retainer fee of $750,000; being full payment of professional fees and expenses covered.
On December 12, Nigeria paid the American lobbying firm the sum of $4.5 million as a six-month retainer pre-payment for the contract.
The filings did not explain where Aster Legal raises the funds from but insiders told Africa Confidential in a Tuesday report it would either come from wealthy supporters of President Bola Tinubu or indirectly from the Nigerian government.
However, Diane London was named as the contractor to DCI and is paying the company’s $750,000 fees on behalf of Aster Legal, which has offices in Nigeria and Florida.
DCI is required to communicate Nigeria’s actions to protect Christian communities and maintain US support in countering jihadist groups and other destabilising elements, the contract document showed.
Justin Peterson, DCI’s managing member, and Doug Davenport, senior advisor, are to lead on the contract.
Trump appointed Davenport, who worked on the presidential campaigns of George W Bush and Elizabeth Dole, as his representative on the financial oversight board for Puerto Rico. Davenport also worked on the Trump campaigns in 2016, 2020, and 2024.
Roger Stone, a close Trump ally, also serves as DCI advisor.
The engagement is also understood to boost trade and commercial relations between Nigeria and the US, creating opportunities for expanded investment and cooperation.
STARK SPENDING GAP BETWEEN FG AND PRO-BIAFRA ACTIVISTS
In January, one month after the Nigerian government engaged DCI, the Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE) announced a lobbying contract with Washington & Madison, a DC–based lobbyist group, headed by Elias Gerasoulis.
Gerasoulis previously served as partner and vice president of Moran Global Strategies, a lobbying firm, where he pushed pro-Biafra interest within the Trump circle.
After establishing Washington & Madison, Gerasoulis took the firm’s Biafran clients with him.
According to an Africa Confidential report, BRGIE engaged Washington & Madison for a monthly fee of $66,000 to push for sanctions against Nigerian officials at federal, state and local levels; drive US engagement with a putative Biafran administration, and garner support for military strikes and favourable oil deals with Washington in a future Biafra.
Gerasoulis will also “explain to U.S. officials the role of Nigerian government proxies in Biafraland, such as the so-called Nigerian ‘Southeast Governors’, in acting against both Biafran and U.S. interests by conspiring with US adversaries”.
His contract is expected to accuse Nigeria’s south-east state governors of allowing “malign foreign influence, such as Iran, to the oil rich, strategic Gulf of Guinea” and of being “complicit in Christian genocide and highly dangerous to U.S. interests”.
FG LOBBYING EFFORTS ‘YIELDING FRUITS’
According to the office of the NSA, engagement efforts with the Trump administration is yielding fruits.
On Tuesday, the US delivered military supplies to Nigerian security agencies to bolster ongoing operations in the country.
The NSA’s office said the country has received over $100 million of military equipment in the last few weeks.
At least 12 Bell Textron AH1Z Cobra attack helicopters worth $997 million are also due to be delivered to Nigeria by 2028, the Africa Confidential report added.
The timeline of actions will continue into Q1 2026 when the US congress is to decide whether to approve $346 million precision bombs and rockets to Nigeria, via the Pentagon’s Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).
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