A United States-based political advisory firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the US Department of State seeking the signed Nigeria-US mineral investment agreement and records relating to its negotiation and execution.
The firm announced the move on its verified X account, saying it was responding to public demands for transparency over the agreement signed by Nigeria and the United States to deepen investment in the country’s solid minerals sector.
“We have heard the Nigerian people’s voices and their demand for #transparency about the $700 billion mining MOU signed by the United States and the Nigerian Presidency,” the firm said.
According to the firm, the request was submitted to establish what the two governments agreed to, what commitments were made, and what protections were provided for communities affected by mining operations.
“Nigerians want to know what was signed in their names regarding their God-given natural resources and wealth,” it added.
The filing comes amid questions over public access to the full text of the agreement, which Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation described as a framework for attracting American investment into the country’s mineral resources, estimated at $700 billion.
Not a $700bn Investment Commitment
The distinction is significant: the $700 billion figure represents Nigeria’s estimated mineral wealth, not a confirmed investment commitment by the United States.
According to the Federal Ministry of Information, the framework covers geological data and exploration, mineral development and processing, infrastructure, and technical capacity building. It is intended to support business-to-business partnerships and increase domestic value addition in the mining sector.
At the signing, Solid Minerals Development Minister Dele Alake said Nigeria did not want to remain a supplier of raw materials while other countries captured most of the value.
“Our goal is to turn potential into lasting value at home through stronger local processing, new skills, quality jobs, and new opportunities for Nigerian businesses,” Alake said.
However, the advisory firm argued that the public needed access to the agreement’s actual terms to assess the obligations undertaken by both governments and the protections available to host communities.
It also criticised what it described as a pattern of limited disclosure surrounding agreements signed by the Tinubu administration, including arrangements with European countries and foreign borrowing.
US-China Competition in Focus
The firm said it supported Washington’s efforts to secure critical minerals but warned against sacrificing transparency in the competition with China.
“We fully support the United States’ push to secure access to critical minerals, but we strongly believe that the United States must not become like China while trying to outcompete China,” it said.
The statement also highlighted public interest in the United States, arguing that American taxpayers and policymakers should understand the commitments being made and the safeguards governing the partnership.
The FOIA request seeks the signed agreement and records concerning how it was negotiated and executed. The firm said it intended to make documents obtained through the process publicly available.
As of the time of the this report, the Presidency had not responded to the filing.
The request does not establish that the agreement contains undisclosed financial obligations or that either government has breached its commitments. Rather, it raises questions about public access to the document and the extent to which its terms can be independently scrutinised.
For Nigeria, the central issue is whether the framework will translate into verifiable investment, local mineral processing, jobs and stronger domestic industrial capacity.
As competition for critical minerals intensifies, disclosure of the agreement’s terms could help Nigerians assess whether the partnership delivers measurable economic benefits while protecting national interests and mining communities.
