The Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy of the United States, Keith Heffern, has said that American companies are among Nigeria’s largest investors.

The investors, according to Haffern, spanned the energy, technology, agriculture, financial services sectors and beyond.

The United States envoy spoke in Abuja at a reception organised by the Embassy in collaboration with the American Business Council (ABC) in commemoration of the 250 years of American independence, innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic opportunity.

Heffern also said Nigerian talent, markets, and entrepreneurship continued to shape opportunities for United States’ businesses well beyond Abuja and Lagos.

He stated that this year, the United States marks Freedom 250-250 years since its founding, adding that it is 250 years of a story that has always extended well beyond the American borders.

Haffern added that from the very beginning, American independence was tied to the idea that free people, trading freely, build stronger, more prosperous nations together.

Haffern said: “Our founders understood that liberty and commerce were not separate pursuits, but complementary ones. That idea has shaped our foreign policy for two and a half centuries, and it shapes our partnership with Nigeria today.

“Nowhere is that clearer than in this room. The United States and Nigeria share one of the most consequential economic partnerships on this continent. American companies are among Nigeria’s largest investors, spanning energy, technology, agriculture, financial services, and beyond. At the same time, Nigerian talent, markets, and entrepreneurship continue to shape opportunities for U.S. businesses well beyond Abuja and Lagos. This is very much a two-way relationship — one built on mutual benefit, not dependency.”

While saying that the relationship was not new, Haffern also said it isn’t accidental either.

“It’s the product of decades of sustained engagement, persistence, and trust-building, much of it advanced by many of you here tonight.

“I’d also note that Freedom 250 isn’t only about looking backward at what America has built. It’s about recommitting to what America and its partners will build next.

“And there’s no better audience for that conversation than the business leaders, innovators, and government partners in this room, who are already doing that work every day.

“The strength of the U.S.-Nigeria economic relationship has always depended on partnership — between our governments, yes, but just as importantly between our businesses, our innovators, and our entrepreneurs. Diplomacy opens doors, but it’s the work happening in boardrooms, on factory floors, and in negotiations between companies that proves most consequential, that actually delivers the tangible results of diplomacy and partnership. That’s what Freedom 250 is ultimately about – not simply commemorating the past but recommitting to the partnerships that will define the next chapter. And that’s exactly what tonight represents,” he further said.

Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer, American Business Council Nigeria, Margaret Olele, said whenever the issue of the United States-Nigeria relations is discussed, anything that’s different, anything that’s unique, it’s tied to the American wonder.

She also said as a result of the relationship between both countries, more affinities exist than differences.

Olele further said United States’ companies have been in Nigeria prior to the independence of the country.

“And today we talk about Nigeria being the longest democracy in the continent, it ties to this affiliation,” she said. (Daily Sun)