U.S. President Donald Trump is set to host five African leaders in Washington next week to discuss what the White House describes as “commercial opportunities”—but notably, Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu is not on the list.
According to a White House official, the invited leaders are from Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal.
The meeting, scheduled for July 9, will include high-level discussions and a lunch session at the White House.“
President Trump believes that African countries offer incredible commercial opportunities which benefit both the American people and our African partners,” the official said, highlighting the rationale behind the event.
Reports by Africa Intelligence and Semafor indicate that the summit will run from July 9 to 11, focusing on trade and investment rather than traditional aid.
Under the current Trump administration, several U.S. foreign aid programmes for Africa have been significantly reduced. The White House says the shift is part of its commitment to Trump’s “America First” agenda, which prioritises trade and mutual prosperity over what it sees as wasteful foreign assistance.
Just this week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated the administration’s stance, stating that America is abandoning a “charity-based foreign aid model” and will now support countries that show “both the ability and willingness to help themselves.”
In line with this policy shift, Troy Fitrel, a senior official in the Bureau of African Affairs, disclosed in May that U.S. diplomats across Africa will now be evaluated based on the volume and value of commercial deals they are able to facilitate.
While the exclusion of Nigeria—the continent’s largest economy and most populous nation—from the talks has raised eyebrows, no official reason has been given. However, analysts suggest it may reflect Washington’s growing preference for smaller, reform-driven nations seen as more willing to align with the new U.S. foreign policy direction.
More updates are expected as the summit approaches.
