The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has faulted the Federal Government over its decision to engage a United States based lobbying and public relations firm, DCI Group, under a 9 million dollar contract to manage Nigeria’s international image, describing the move as ill conceived, deceptive and deeply embarrassing for the country.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the opposition party said the agreement exposed what it described as a lack of confidence by the Bola Tinubu administration in its own governance record and communication machinery. The PDP argued that the decision to outsource Nigeria’s image laundering to a foreign firm was a tacit admission that the administration’s policies and performance could not speak for themselves.
Ememobong said it was disturbing that a government with a fully established Ministry of Information, a Minister of Information and National Orientation, numerous special advisers, media aides, and public relations units across ministries and diplomatic missions would resort to paying millions of dollars to a foreign lobbying firm to burnish its image abroad.
“This revelation is as disturbing as it is shameful that a government with a full Ministry of Information and a litany of media aides will be paying a foreign firm to launder its image,” Ememobong said. “This is a clear indication that the President does not have confidence in the Ministry of Information and his media aides.”
The PDP noted that the development has further raised questions about the Tinubu administration’s priorities at a time when Nigeria is grappling with severe economic hardship, rising insecurity, high unemployment, and declining public trust in government institutions.
According to documents filed with the United States Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, the Kaduna based law firm, Aster Legal, allegedly entered into the lobbying agreement with DCI Group on behalf of Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. The contract is reportedly valued at 9 million dollars and is structured to run for an initial six month period, with an automatic renewal clause extending it for another six months.
The filings indicate that the scope of the engagement includes assisting the Nigerian government in communicating its actions and policies aimed at protecting Christian communities, particularly in the context of growing international concern over insecurity and sectarian violence in parts of the country.
However, the PDP expressed strong reservations about both the substance and the process of the contract, insisting that the arrangement lacks transparency and raises serious legal and ethical concerns. The party questioned why such a sensitive and expensive contract was allegedly routed through a private law firm rather than the appropriate government institutions.
“We seek clarification from the Presidency on the following,” Ememobong said. “Was this contract budgeted for in the 2025 budget? Why was it done through a private law firm and not the Federal Ministry of Justice? What are the duties of the Information and Public Relations officers in Nigeria’s diplomatic missions abroad? And what are the Key Performance Indicators for this contract?”
The opposition party argued that these unanswered questions suggest an attempt to bypass established procurement and accountability frameworks, thereby undermining transparency and public confidence in government decision making.
Beyond procedural concerns, the PDP also dismissed the underlying premise of the lobbying deal, arguing that no amount of foreign public relations work can compensate for what it described as failures in governance, security, and economic management at home.
“No lobbying or strategic communication firm can create narratives that will replace the lived experiences of the people,” the statement said. “If the Tinubu administration is desirous of changing the perception of the country abroad, it should invest more in the security of lives and property, not in deceptive communication.”
Ememobong stressed that Nigeria’s international image is ultimately shaped by the daily realities faced by citizens, including insecurity, poverty, inflation, and unemployment. According to him, global perceptions cannot be altered by glossy reports or high level lobbying if the underlying conditions within the country continue to deteriorate.
The PDP accused the All Progressives Congress led administration of prioritising what it called “easy public validation through ephemeral optics” instead of confronting the structural challenges confronting the nation. The party argued that the reported lobbying contract reflects a misplaced focus on external approval rather than internal reform.
“The President should be more interested in ensuring that all Nigerians, irrespective of religion, are safe and free to worship God in their chosen way, and that mass killings are reduced to the barest minimum,” Ememobong said. “When these feats are achieved, Nigerians will reflect safety, and that will concomitantly dictate the global perception of Nigerians.”
The party also expressed concern that framing the lobbying effort around the protection of Christian communities could further polarise the country and oversimplify Nigeria’s complex security challenges. According to the PDP, insecurity in Nigeria affects citizens across religious and ethnic lines and should be addressed through comprehensive security reforms rather than selective narratives aimed at appeasing foreign audiences.
Political analysts say the controversy surrounding the 9 million dollar contract comes at a sensitive time for the Tinubu administration, which has faced mounting criticism over rising living costs, fuel price hikes, currency instability, and persistent insecurity in various parts of the country. The PDP’s intervention adds to growing opposition scrutiny of the government’s spending priorities and foreign engagements.
The opposition party insisted that genuine improvements in governance, accountability, and security would do more to enhance Nigeria’s standing in the international community than any lobbying contract. It argued that countries earn respect globally through strong institutions, protection of human rights, economic opportunity, and the safety of their citizens, not through paid image management.
In its concluding remarks, the PDP urged the Federal Government to abandon what it described as cosmetic solutions and focus on addressing the root causes of Nigeria’s challenges. The party advised the administration to redirect its energy and resources toward rebuilding public trust, strengthening security architecture, and delivering tangible improvements in the lives of Nigerians.
“The government should concentrate on the hard task of providing sustainable solutions to the nation’s primary challenge, which is insecurity,” the statement said. “Only then can Nigeria’s image, both at home and abroad, truly improve.”
As the debate continues, the Federal Government has yet to publicly respond to the PDP’s demands for clarification, leaving questions about the contract’s approval process, funding source, and expected outcomes unanswered.
