A prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jimoh Ibrahim, believes that newly inaugurated U.S. President Donald Trump should engage in discussions with Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu to enhance American influence in Africa and counter China’s growing presence on the continent.
“Donald Trump has a significant opportunity to meet with Tinubu, an African leader, to understand our political dynamics as China continues to penetrate Africa,” Ibrahim said in an interview today.
Ibrahim, who serves as a senator for Ondo South District in the 10th National Assembly, mentioned that BRICS+, a coalition of ten countries with strong Chinese influence, have already approached Tinubu regarding economic alignment and trading in the Chinese Yuan.
He emphasized that China is actively seeking to establish itself as an economic superpower in Africa, urging the U.S. to quickly engage with key African leaders to mitigate China’s expanding influence.
Ibrahim said, “China has provided loans to numerous African nations for infrastructure projects, but what does China seek in return? The legitimacy of the continent.
“Simultaneously, China has approached Bola Tinubu, saying, ‘Come and trade in our currency.’ Tinubu’s response has been, ‘Increase trade volume and benefits before I consider it.’ They will take that back for further consideration.”
He added, “In the future, both America and China will view Africa as a critical focus in the global political landscape regarding hegemonic leadership and acceptance.”
‘Tinubu Will Get Along with Trump’
Ibrahim also expressed confidence that Tinubu would have no issues collaborating with Trump, as their ideologies align with American liberal democratic values.
“TInubu will not face any challenges with Donald Trump because he is a liberalist, not a realist. He shares common ground with the American liberal democratic framework,” Ibrahim explained.
He noted, “Nigeria and the United States will not be at odds because both are liberal states. However, the leaders differ: Tinubu advocates for cooperation and collaboration to resolve issues, while Trump does not necessarily align with that approach. You can’t confront Russia and Britain while neglecting Africa; you must find a way to engage with one or the other.”
Recall that in January 2025, Nigeria accepted an invitation to join BRICS+ as a partner country. BRICS, which stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, was formed in 2006 to unite developing economies in challenging the political and economic dominance of wealthier nations from North America and Western Europe.
The bloc, now known as BRICS+, has since expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, collectively accounting for approximately 37% of the world’s GDP.