A United States-based political advisory and lobbying firm, Von Batten-Montague-York, says it has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking the full details of the mining agreement signed between Nigeria and the United States.
The firm disclosed this in a statement posted on its verified X account on Thursday, October 22, saying it wants the US State Department to release the signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and records relating to its negotiation.
The move comes amid growing public calls for transparency over the agreement, which the firm says was signed by the Nigerian government without adequate disclosure to citizens.
Von Batten-Montague-York said Nigerians deserve to know the terms of an agreement involving the country’s mineral resources, particularly the safeguards for communities affected by mining activities.
It argued that the US government should make the document public to clarify what both countries agreed to and the protections available to Nigerians.
The firm also criticised what it described as a lack of transparency surrounding the Tinubu administration’s international agreements and borrowing arrangements.
It said it had decided to pursue disclosure through American legal procedures because the records sought are held by a US government agency.
The firm declared its support for American efforts to secure critical minerals but warned that the pursuit of strategic resources should not come at the expense of responsible investment and the interests of local communities.
It also pledged to publish the documents if the State Department releases them.
What the $700bn Figure Actually Means
The controversy follows the Nigeria-US mineral investment framework signed in New York in September 2026 by Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, and US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.
According to the Nigerian government, the framework is designed to encourage American investment and strengthen cooperation in geological exploration, mineral development, processing, infrastructure and technical capacity.
However, the widely cited $700 billion figure represents Nigeria’s estimated mineral-resource potential, not a confirmed $700 billion investment commitment by the United States.
The agreement is intended to facilitate investment and commercial partnerships, with the Nigerian government expressing interest in expanding local processing, creating jobs and enabling Nigerian businesses to capture more value from the country’s mineral wealth.
No publicly announced breakdown has established that Washington committed $700 billion in funding or that Nigeria transferred mineral assets worth that amount to the United States.
The distinction is important because a framework agreement intended to attract investment is not the same as a completed financial transaction or the transfer of ownership of a country’s natural resources.
Transparency and National Interest
The demand for disclosure raises questions about the agreement’s implementation, including the selection of mining projects, investment commitments, environmental protections, local employment and benefits for host communities.
The publication of the MoU could help Nigerians assess the obligations undertaken by both governments and determine whether the arrangement adequately protects the country’s economic interests.
It could also clarify the extent to which Nigerian companies will participate in exploration, extraction and mineral processing.
Under the US Freedom of Information Act, members of the public can request access to federal agency records, subject to statutory exemptions. Filing a request does not automatically guarantee the release of every document or compel immediate disclosure.
The State Department’s response and any subsequent administrative or legal proceedings will determine what records can be obtained.
As of the time of this report, no response from the Nigerian Presidency to the firm’s latest FOIA filing had been established.
The central issue remains whether the agreement’s full terms will be made available for public scrutiny as Nigeria seeks to attract foreign investment into its solid minerals sector.
