Nigerian CEO hires U.S. lobbying agency for $720,000 to spice up Nigeria-US relations

CEO of Maton Engineering Nigeria Restricted, Matthew Tonlagha, has entered right into a lobbying and strategic communications contract in the US for $720,000.

Tonlagha entered this below the International Brokers Registration Act (FARA), based on filings submitted to the U.S. Division of Justice.

The registration, filed on January 9, 2026, reveals that Washington-based consulting agency Valcour, LLC has been engaged to offer authorities affairs and strategic communications companies on behalf of Maton Engineering Nigeria Restricted.

What the deal is saying

The contract is aimed toward strengthening bilateral relations between Nigeria and the US, significantly via engagements with U.S. media, Congress, and the Government Department.

• FARA disclosures point out that the settlement between each events was executed on December 3, 2025, and have become efficient following receipt of the primary fee on December 30, 2025.
• The contract runs from December 15, 2025, via June 14, 2026, with provisions for termination after the primary 90 days upon 30 days’ written discover.
• Underneath the settlement, Maton Engineering is to pay Valcour a month-to-month consulting charge of $120,000, billed quarterly upfront.

This interprets to a complete contract worth of as much as $720,000 over the six-month interval, excluding reimbursable bills reminiscent of journey and associated prices. FARA filings verify that a minimum of $360,000 had already been obtained from the Nigerian agency as of December 30, 2025.

The disclosures additional reveal that Valcour subcontracted a part of the engagement to Bridgeway Advocacy, with funds totaling $165,000 made between late December 2025 and early January 2026. These funds have been described as month-to-month retainers for subcontractor companies associated to the engagement.

Flashback

BusinessTimes had earlier reported Nigeria’s Federal Authorities spending $750,000 month-to-month on a Republican-linked U.S. foyer agency to counter “Christian genocide” claims and curb separatist narratives amongst conservative and evangelical circles close to President Donald Trump.

• The lobbying adopted Trump’s November 2025 warning that the U.S. might intervene in Nigeria “weapons ablazing” over alleged mass killings of Christians.
• The event sparked a high-stakes lobbying battle in Washington, with Nigeria’s authorities clashing with pro-Biafra teams over U.S. navy cooperation, sanctions, and arms gross sales to Africa’s most populous nation.

On the time, ex Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi had criticised the federal government’s place, describing it as a logo of Nigeria’s misplaced priorities amid worsening improvement outcomes.

What it’s best to know

Maton Engineering Nigeria Restricted is described within the filings as a privately owned restricted legal responsibility firm, chaired and managed by its founder and CEO, Matthew Tonlagha. The corporate operates within the oil and gasoline sector, offering electrical, civil, mechanical, dredging, and horizontal directional drilling (HDD) companies for advanced power tasks.

• Importantly, the filings make clear that Maton Engineering just isn’t owned, directed, managed, or backed by the Nigerian authorities or any political get together. As an alternative, the registration falls below the class of a international personal company partaking U.S.-based consultants for advocacy and communications work.
• Whereas the contract entails interactions with U.S. authorities officers, the registrant disclosed that the actions don’t embrace direct political actions as outlined below Part 1(o) of FARA. Moderately, the scope facilities on notion administration, public relations, strategic communications, and authorities affairs associated to Nigeria–U.S. bilateral engagement.

Underneath U.S. regulation, FARA requires brokers representing international principals to publicly disclose their actions, agreements, and monetary transactions. All filings are made accessible for public inspection and shared with U.S. Congress and different federal businesses.