Please note that the United States of America has 2 mission offices in Nigeria — the United States Embassy (Abuja) and the United States Consulate General (Abuja). Bear in mind that each office handles different issues.
U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, Abuja
Embassy of the United States of America,
Plot 1075, Diplomatic Drive,
Central District Area, Abuja.
Phone: 09-461-4000
Email: consularabuja@state.gov
U.S. Consulate General, Lagos
2, Walter Carrington Crescent,
Victoria Island, Lagos.
Phone: 01-263-5397
Email: uslagos@state.gov
History of the US Embassy in Nigeria
The U.S Embassy also known as the American Embassy was officially established in Nigeria on the 1st of October 1960, the same day the country attained her independence.
This was commemorated with a congratulatory message from the Secretary of State Christian Herter to the Nigerian people.
However, the American Ambassador to Nigeria had been appointed as far back as the 23rd of September, but he had to wait till after Independence Day. And it seemed as though the second congratulatory message which came from the President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower to the Prime Minister of Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa on the second day of October 1960 was the seal to the beginning of a great relationship between both countries.
The ambassador in charge at that time was Joseph Palmer II. He presented his letter of appointment to the Head of State on the 4th of October 1960 which was three days after Nigeria’s independence.
In this article we’ve taken a peek down memory lane by compiling a list of the representatives of the American Government (i.e the ambassadors) from October 1960 till date
- Joseph Palmer: September 23, 1960 – January 16, 1964
- Elbert G. Mathews: March 10, 1964 – July 26, 1969
- William C. Trueheart: September 19, 1969 – September 1, 1971
- John Reinhardt: September 30, 1971 – February 23, 1975
- Donald B. Easum: March 26, 1975 – October 15, 1979
- Stephen Low: September 20 1979 – July 4, 1981
- Thomas R. Pickering: October 26, 1981 – July 9, 1983
- Thomas W.M Smith: February 10, 1984 – May 5, 1986
- Princeton Nathan Lyman: September 12. 1986 – July 24, 1989
- Lannon Walker: October 10, 1989 – July 10, 1992
- William Lacy Swing: June 15, 1992 – September 22, 1993
- Walter C. Carrington: August 10, 1993 – October 7, 1997
- William H Twaddell: November 10, 1997 – August 3, 2000
On the 15th of September 2000, the US Embassy was transferred to Abuja from Lagos and a couple of months later, Ambassador Howard Franklin Jeter was appointed. This was on the 28th of December 28, 2000. He left his ambassadorial position on the 30th July, 2003
He was succeeded by Donald Steinberg who was in charge until 2004. The list of the ambassadorial appointments from 2004 till date has been highlighted below:
- John Campbell: 2004 – July, 2007
- Robin Renee Sanders: December 3, 2007 – 2010
- Terence P.McCulley: 2010 – 2013
- James F. Entwistle: 2013 – 2016
- Stuart Syminton: September 28, 2016 till date
From 1966 to 1999, Nigeria experienced a series of military coups as well as 30 month civil war which seemed to affect the country’s relationship with their international allies, one of which was the United States of America.
However, after the democratic elections in 1999, the relationship between both countries significantly improved and in 2010, the U.S Nigeria Binational Commission was created as a forum that enabled both countries meet regularly to focus on key areas of mutual interest.
Currently, the U.S is the largest foreign investor in Nigeria with investments in the petroleum, mining and wholesale trade sectors