President Bola Tinubu received a call from U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday, discussing bilateral cooperation in law enforcement and global security matters. The call, which took place at approximately 4 p.m. Nigerian time and lasted about 30 minutes, was confirmed by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, during a briefing with State House correspondents.

The discussion highlighted the recent release of Tigran Gambaryan, Head of Finance Crime Compliance at Binance, a cryptocurrency exchange company, as a key focus. Tuggar noted that the call underscored both nations’ shared commitment to strengthening collaboration between law enforcement agencies.

“The call was about the collaboration between the two countries with regards to law enforcement and the release of one of the suspects from the cryptocurrency exchange company,” Tuggar explained. President Tinubu expressed gratitude for the U.S.’s partnership in areas concerning security across Africa, particularly in West Africa, highlighting the importance of continued cooperation in addressing regional challenges.

President Biden, in response, affirmed the significance of U.S.-Africa relations, noting that Africa’s future holds immense global importance. “This is a partnership because the future of the world resides in Africa,” Biden remarked, emphasizing the importance of sustained U.S. engagement with African nations.

The two leaders also discussed the prospect of a permanent seat for Africa on the United Nations Security Council, with Biden expressing the U.S.‘s commitment to this goal. He added that, from the U.S. perspective, Nigeria would be a natural candidate for such a seat, further reflecting Africa’s growing influence on the world stage.

The conversation underscores the mutual interest of Nigeria and the United States in fostering a stable and secure future for Africa and its role within the global community.