- Nigeria has hired a US lobbying firm under a $9 million contract to communicate its efforts to protect Christians and counter terrorism, amid renewed scrutiny and allegations of Christian persecution.
The federal government has entered into a $9 million contract with a United States–based lobbying firm to help convey Nigeria’s efforts to protect Christians to the US government.
According to a lobbying disclosure filed with the US Department of Justice, Aster Legal, a Kaduna-based law firm, engaged DCI Group on behalf of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. DCI Group is an American public affairs and lobbying firm.
The agreement was signed on December 17, 2025, by Oyetunji Olalekan Teslim, managing partner of Aster Legal, and Justin Peterson, managing member of DCI Group.
Under the terms of the contract, DCI Group is expected to “assist the Nigerian government through Aster Legal in communicating its actions to protect Nigerian Christian communities and maintaining US support in countering West African jihadist groups and other destabilising elements.”
The contract is set to run for an initial six months, ending on June 30, 2026, with an automatic renewal for another six months unless terminated. A clause in the agreement allows either party to end the contract for any reason without penalty, provided 60 days’ written notice is given.
On December 12, Nigeria reportedly paid DCI Group $4.5 million as a six-month retainer pre-payment. The contract specifies a monthly retainer of $750,000, covering professional fees and expenses, to be paid in two six-month instalments of $4.5 million each.
The engagement comes amid heightened interest from the US government over reports of killings of Christians in Nigeria. In October, former US President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over allegations of a Christian genocide.
The Nigerian government has consistently denied the genocide claims and pledged to engage with US authorities. In November, Trump further escalated the rhetoric, threatening to intervene militarily to protect Christians in Nigeria.
On Christmas Day, the United States carried out air strikes on two terrorist hideouts in the Bauni forest area of Tangaza Local Government Area, Sokoto State.
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