Wariboko: Why Trump Is Watching Nigeria Closely
Professor Nimi Wariboko of Boston University has argued that United States President Donald Trump’s growing interest in Nigeria goes far beyond allegations of Christian persecution, warning that Abuja is increasingly entangled in a high-stakes global power struggle involving China, France, oil, and the future of the US dollar. Speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande […]
Professor Nimi Wariboko of Boston University has argued that United States President Donald Trump’s growing interest in Nigeria goes far beyond allegations of Christian persecution, warning that Abuja is increasingly entangled in a high-stakes global power struggle involving China, France, oil, and the future of the US dollar.
Speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Channels Television on Friday, Wariboko said Nigeria’s foreign policy posture—particularly its deepening ties with China—has placed the country squarely on Washington’s strategic radar.
“Abuja is tilting towards cutting ties with, with China, getting close to China, allowing China to do some mining. And since Trump wants to stop the rise of China, anyone getting close to China becomes a potential target, as he’s telling you, can’t you understand the game?” Wariboko said.
According to him, Trump’s repeated references to a so-called “Christian genocide” in Nigeria should be understood less as a purely humanitarian concern and more as a geopolitical instrument.
“So in the same way that he used drug trafficking as, as, as a Trojan horse to get into Venezuela, he has already raised the issue of Christian genocide, whether that is true or not. That’s not the issue I’m focused, but it’s an excuse,” he explained.
Wariboko warned that recent US military actions should be seen as signals rather than isolated incidents. “So he has bombed you first, and the next time, if you don’t play game, and if you get too close to, to China, or if you are too close to France,” he said, arguing that Washington is seeking to reassert dominance in Africa by pushing back against both Chinese and French influence.
He noted that the US increasingly views France’s long-standing role in Africa as something to be weakened. “Because America sees France and Africa as, as something they want to diminish, to take more control, because he has announced he wants to take control of Anglophone, at least,” Wariboko stated.
Nigeria’s diplomatic positioning, he added, further complicates matters. “And, you know, and our president is very close to, to the French president, and with China. So that means—and Nigeria also has oil,” he said, pointing to the country’s strategic value in global energy markets.
However, Wariboko stressed that oil alone does not explain the intensity of US interest. He argued that America’s deeper concern lies in preserving the dominance of the US dollar in global trade.
“And in the midst of all this, know that America oil reserve, even though it’s big, is dwindling, and there is no great alternative source, and Trump doesn’t want to wait,” he said. “So people look at oil alone, but it’s not only the oil, but with which currency do you trade the oil? Where do you keep your national savings?”
According to Wariboko, the dollar’s status as the world’s primary reserve currency gives the US extraordinary power. “The fact that every country in the world saves in the United States, keep their national savings, it means the U.S. can print dollar at will to pay for anything. Every other country has to earn resources to earn the dollar to trade. Right?” he explained.
He cited America’s trade relationship with China as an example of this hidden advantage. “So look at, America complained that they have trade surpluses with China. But what do you find? Those trade surpluses, the money does not leave America. It’s in America, $3.3 trillion, which helps to lower America’s interest rate generally and finance the American economy,” Wariboko said.
In his view, Trump is more acutely aware of these dynamics than most recent US presidents. “So that is the issue that we need to pay attention. And Trump, more than any other president in recent times, is conscious about arresting the decline of the U.S. dollar empire,” he concluded.
Wariboko’s analysis suggests that Nigeria’s challenge is not simply managing security narratives, but carefully navigating an increasingly volatile global order where alliances, resources, and currency power intersect—often with serious consequences for countries caught in between.