The Federal Government has hired a United States-based lobbying firm in a $9 million contract to communicate its efforts at protecting Christian communities in Nigeria to the U.S. government.
Documents filed with the U.S. Department of Justice show that Aster Legal, a Kaduna-based law firm, engaged DCI Group on behalf of Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
DCI Group is a Washington-based public affairs and lobbying firm.
The agreement, signed on December 17, 2025, was executed by Oyetunji Olalekan Teslim, Managing Partner of Aster Legal, and Justin Peterson, Managing Member of DCI Group.
According to the contract, DCI Group is expected to “assist the Nigerian government, through Aster Legal, in communicating its actions to protect Nigerian Christian communities and in maintaining U.S. support in countering West African jihadist groups and other destabilising elements.”
The contract runs for an initial six months, ending June 30, 2026, with an automatic option for renewal. Either party may terminate the agreement without penalty by providing 60 days’ written notice.
Nigeria has already paid $4.5 million to the firm as a six-month retainer. The agreement sets the firm’s monthly fee at $750,000, to be paid in two instalments of $4.5 million each, one upon execution of the contract and the other at the end of the initial six-month period.
The engagement comes amid growing concern in the United States over reports alleging the killing of Christians in Nigeria.
In October, U.S. President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” citing claims of a Christian genocide. The Nigerian government has repeatedly denied the allegations, insisting that insecurity affects all Nigerians regardless of religion, while pledging continued engagement with U.S. authorities.
In November, President Trump escalated his rhetoric, threatening to go into Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” to confront terrorists allegedly targeting Christians, following repeated claims by some U.S. lawmakers.
On Christmas Day, the U.S. carried out airstrikes on two terrorist enclaves in the Bauni Forest area of Tangaza Local Government Area in Sokoto State, highlighting Washington’s deepening security focus on Nigeria and the wider West African region.
