Tinubu misses out as Trump host five African leaders at White House

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to host leaders from five African nations in Washington next week to explore what the White House describes as “commercial opportunities.”

However, conspicuously missing from the invitation list is Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu.

According to a White House official on Wednesday, Trump will welcome the leaders of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal to the White House on July 9 for a lunch meeting and discussions focused on economic partnerships.

“President Trump believes African countries offer incredible commercial opportunities that can benefit both the American people and our African partners,” the official explained while highlighting the motive behind the gathering.

Earlier reports by Africa Intelligence and Semafor indicated that the Trump-led administration had scheduled the summit for July 9 to 11 in Washington, emphasizing business collaborations over foreign aid.

The Trump administration has drastically slashed U.S. foreign aid for Africa in its bid to minimize spending considered wasteful and shift towards policies aligned with Trump’s “America First” agenda.

Instead, the former U.S. president has expressed his preference for boosting trade and private investment as a more effective way to foster mutual growth.

The absence of President Bola Tinubu from this select group has raised eyebrows in diplomatic and business circles, especially as Nigeria remains Africa’s largest economy and one of America’s strategic partners on the continent.