A lobbying firm based in the United States (US) says it has asked Washington to release the full details of a $700 billion mining deal between Nigeria and America.
Von Batten-Montague-York, a political advisory and lobbying firm, said it filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the US State Department on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
The firm announced the step in a post on its verified X handle.
It is asking for the signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and all records on how the deal was negotiated.
FOIA is an American law that lets the public request records held by federal agencies.
The State Department, which handles US foreign affairs, is the agency the firm wrote to.
Agencies are expected to respond within 20 working days, although the law allows extensions in some cases.
According to the firm, the MoU was signed by the Nigerian Presidency and the US government.
Why The Firm Acted
The firm said it took the action because President Bola Tinubu has refused to disclose the details of the MoU to Nigerians.
Tinubu has led Nigeria since May 2023.
The firm added that it has heard the voices of Nigerians demanding openness over the agreement.
It said it heard those calls and decided to act.
According to the firm, the Tinubu administration has signed many deals with Europe and borrowed billions of dollars, yet Nigerians are kept in the dark.
However, it said this case is different.
“This time around, he is not dealing with Europe, and we are not in Nigeria. We are in the United States, a country where the rule of law still exists,” it said.
The firm also said Nigerians want to know what was agreed on their behalf.
“Nigerians want to know what was signed in their names regarding their God-given natural resources,” it added.
What The Firm Plans To Publish
The firm said Americans also have an interest in knowing what was agreed.
They also want to know what protections exist for affected communities, it said.
It promised to publish the documents once it receives them.
Meanwhile, the firm said it backs Washington’s push to secure access to critical minerals.
However, the firm set a limit.
“We fully support the United States’ push to secure access to critical minerals, but we strongly believe that the United States must not become like China while trying to outcompete China,” it said.
The Presidency has not yet reacted to the FOIA filing.
