Nigeria, US Hold High-Level Security Talks in Abuja, Pledge Deeper Cooperation

Nigeria and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening security cooperation, following high-level talks in Abuja on Monday, 13 July 2026.

The National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, hosted a US delegation led by the newly confirmed Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Frank Garcia, who is on his first official visit to Nigeria since assuming office on 1 June 2026. The visit forms part of a wider West Africa tour that will also take Garcia to Côte d’Ivoire and Mali between 11 and 18 July.

According to a statement by Ribadu, the meeting reviewed progress made under the Nigeria-US Joint Working Group and reaffirmed both countries’ commitment to closer dialogue on shared security priorities.

Ribadu said the engagement strengthened the long-standing partnership between both countries and assessed progress recorded so far , adding that both sides restated their shared commitment to deeper dialogue and cooperation.

The talks come as Nigeria continues to contend with attacks by terrorists, bandits and other criminal groups in several parts of the country, with kidnappings persisting in some regions.

Separately, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, also received the US delegation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A statement by the ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, said the minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening cooperation in trade and investment, maritime security, counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing, and regional peace and security.

Enikanolaiye said Nigeria continues to face security challenges but maintained that these should not be misconstrued as a policy of religious persecution or genocide, stressing that the government remains committed to protecting all citizens irrespective of religion or ethnicity.

Garcia, in his remarks, described Nigeria as one of America’s most important strategic partners in Africa and commended the country’s leadership in improving maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea. He also acknowledged Nigeria’s role in regional stability through the Multinational Joint Task Force.

Both sides said preparations are underway for the next round of bilateral talks, scheduled for Washington, D.C., in August 2026.

The Abuja meetings follow earlier engagements in Washington, where a Nigerian delegation led by Ribadu met officials across the US Congress, the State Department and the National Security Council to discuss the country’s security situation.