Nigeria and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their strategic defence and security partnership following high-level bilateral talks in Washington, D.C.
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), led a high-powered Nigerian delegation to the Pentagon, where they held strategic discussions with senior officials of the United States Department of War on deepening military-to-military relations, intelligence collaboration and counter-terrorism cooperation.
The delegation included the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele; the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede; the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Lt. General Parker Udiandeye; and other senior officers of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
The Nigerian delegation held discussions with U.S. officials led by Julia Sokol, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for International Security Affairs. The engagement continued the Nigeria–United States Joint Working Group Defence Bilateral Talks, focusing on shared security priorities, intelligence collaboration and stronger operational cooperation.
The broader diplomatic mission, led by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, was in the United States for the second meeting of the US–Nigeria Joint Working Group, held from August 12 to 13, 2026.
Co-chaired by Ribadu and Allison Hooker, the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, the meeting reviewed progress on existing security frameworks and discussed strategic priorities following Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).
Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to sustained dialogue, mutual respect and a stronger strategic alliance in tackling terrorism and other regional and global security threats.
