US Deputy Secretary of State Commends Nigeria on Galactica Funds Repatriation.
By Caroline Ameh
The United States Deputy Secretary of State, Kurt Campbell, has commended the Nigerian government, particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for its collaboration in successfully repatriating funds linked to forfeited luxury real estate and the Galactica Star superyacht.
Campbell made the commendation during a valedictory telephone conversation with Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (OON). He praised Tuggar and his team for their efforts in ensuring the repatriation process was a success, stating that the negotiations had reinforced his confidence in Nigeria’s commitment to transparency and international cooperation. He also assured Nigeria of continued support from the incoming U.S. Deputy Secretary of State.
The Special Assistant on Media and Communication Strategy to the Minister, Alkasim Abdulkadir, disclosed this in Abuja, emphasizing the significance of the discussions between both officials.
In response, Tuggar expressed gratitude to Campbell for his dedication and unwavering determination to see the repatriation process through. The conversation also touched on broader bilateral issues, including leveraging technology to transform digital assets like Binance into economic opportunities for Nigeria. The minister highlighted Nigeria’s ambition to become a hub for data mining, data storage, and artificial intelligence.
“As energy producers, Nigeria’s robust gas energy transition plans—such as the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline traversing 15 African countries—can provide the necessary energy supply for crypto players and data miners. This has great potential, and we are counting on allies like the United States and Morocco,” Tuggar stated.
He further noted that Nigeria and the United States were reaffirming their commitment to fundamental values, strengthening their bilateral ties.
The repatriated funds, according to the minister, will be used to expand the Distributed Access Through Renewable Energy Scale-Up project, managed by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA). The initiative aims to increase electricity access across Nigeria, particularly in underserved communities.
